This  book  is  UL'E  on   the  last  dat- 


SOUTHERN    BRANCH 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNU 
LIBRARY 

LOS  ANGELES.  CALIF 


I 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  witii  funding  from 

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littp://www.arcliive.org/details/eigliteencapitalsOOgeiliala 


EIGHTEEN  CAPITALS 
OF  CHINA 


r^ 


EIGHTEEN  CAPITALS 
OF  CHINA 


BY  WILLIAM   EDGAR  GEIL 

M.A.,  LITT.D.,  F.R.G.S.,  F.R.A.S.,  M.R.A.S.,  F.A.G.S.,  ETC.,  ETC. 

AUTHOR  or  "  A  YANKBB  ON  TUS  YANGTZE,"  "  TUB  GREAT  WALL  OF  CHINA,"  BTC. 


WITH  139  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PHILADELPHIA   &   LONDON 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 
1911 


30603 


COPYRIGHT,  191 1,  BY   WILLIAM   EDGAR   GBIL 


Published  September,  191 1 


3908 


PRINTED   BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANT 

AT  THE   WASHINGTON   SQUARE   PRESS 

PHILADELPHIA,  U.S.A. 


college 
Library 


TO 
El  G«  £• 


INTRODUCTION 

By  W.  a.  p.  MAKTIN,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Ex-President  of  the  Chinese  Imperial  University 

"  Now  when  nations  are  competing  for  the  honour 
of  planting  their  flags  on  the  poles  of  our  planet,  is  there 
not  some  danger  that  heroic  travellers  who  have  pene- 
trated savage  regions,  and  brought  to  light  the  hidden 
things  of  darkness,  may  fail  of  due  recognition  ? 

'*  Livingstone  and  Stanley  did  more  for  science  and 
civilisation  than  a  dozen  polar  expeditions.  A  noted 
explorer  who  deserves  to  share  their  laurels,  if  only  for 
what  he  achieved  on  the  same  arena,  is  the  author  of  this 
volume. 

"  Dr.  Geil's  researches  have  taken  a  wider  range  than 

theirs,  extending  to  three  zones,  and  he  has  shown  me  a 

tattered  flag  which  he  bore  on  voyages  by  land  and  sea 

sufficient  to  put  a  tenfold  girdle  round  this  globe. 

?^         "  After  piercing  the  Heart  of  Africa  and  confirming 

^  the  Homeric  legend  of  pigmies  at  war  with  snakes,  if 

not  with  cranes,  he  passed  at  a  single  bound  from  Guinea 

i^  to  New  Guinea,  where  he  found  materials  for  many  a 

(D  blood  curdling  picture  of  life  among  the  head-hunters 

^  and  cannibals  of  the  Southern  Seas. 

"  Eight  years  ago  Dr.  Geil  turned  his  attention  to 
0  China,  ascended  her  Great  River  to  the  frontiers  of 
«  Tibet  and  gave  the  world  his  experiences  in  a  fascinating 
Q  book  entitled  "  A  Yankee  on  the  Yangtze."  Had  the 
^  sister  stream  been  navigable  he  might  have  attempted 
J  to  eclipse  the  exploit  of  a  fabled  hero,  who,  seeking  the 
^  source  of  the  Yellow  River,  found  himself  looking  down 
r^  from  the  Milky  Way. 

"  That  being  out  of  the  question,  the  greatest  thing 
remaining  open  to  his  restless  enterprise  was  to  follow 


viii  INTRODUCTION 

the  winding  of  The  Great  Wall  from  end  to  end.  This 
he  accomplished  two  years  ago  and  has  given  us  a 
unique  panorama  of  that  hugest  of  the  works  of  man — 
a  structure  so  vast  as  to  rival  the  mountain  barriers  built 
by  the  hand  of  nature. 

"  Undaunted  by  hardships,  in  the  Spring  of  last 
year  he  undertook,  if  possible,  a  more  herculean  task. 
This  was  nothing  less  than  the  making  of  a  visit  to  each 
of  the  several  Capitals  of  the  Eighteen  Provinces;  map- 
ping out  their  sites,  and  collecting  on  the  spot  their 
topographical  treasures,  a  mass  of  literature  destined  to 
form  the  basis  of  a  Chinese  library. 

"  He  generally  found  himself  preceded  by  mission- 
aries, and  he  bears  generous  testimony  to  their  self-sacri- 
ficing devotion.  Without  their  aid  his  difficulties  might 
have  proved  insuperable.  Like  the  blind  Huber  of 
Geneva,  who  made  himself  an  authority  on  bees.  Dr. 
Geil  knows  how  to  use  the  eyes  of  others ;  and  it  must 
be  admitted  that  he  has  made  excellent  use  of  his  own 
eyes  in  studying  the  habits  of  this  enormous  human 
beehive. 

"  Having  helped  to  put  his  materals  in  shape  on 
this  as  on  his  former  campaign,  I  have  much  pleasure 
in  commending  his  book  to  the  attention  of  the  reading 
public. 

"  W.  A.  P.  M. 

"Pearl  Grolto,  Western  Hills,  Peking,  China." 


Chung  Hwa,  translated  "  Central  Glory,"  is  the  Chinese  name  for  China. 


FOREWORD 

The  Appetite  Grows  with  Feeding.  On  one  prev- 
ious journey  we  ascended  the  Yangtze,  crossed  the 
water-shed,  and  came  out  in  Burma;  on  another  we  tra- 
versed the  Great  Wall  from  end  to  end.  These  two  trips, 
unique  in  this  generation,  inspired  us  to  a  third,  when 
we  should  systematically  visit  each  of  the  Eighteen 
Capitals,  and  get  a  first-hand  glimpse  at  every  part  of 
this  "  Central  Glory."  Others  know  well  and  closely 
one  province  or  two  or  even  three;  no  one  else  has  set 
himself  to  glance  at  all. 

For  many  moons  yet  it  is  unlikely  that  others  will 
tread  the  same  track,  so  we  have  not  written  a  guide- 
book. But  we  have  attempted  to  give  an  impressionist 
sketch  of  present  conditions,  noting  the  flux  at  this 
critical  time.  And  we  have  sought  so  to  do  this  that  the 
book  may  have  permanent  value  as  recording  the  condi- 
tions at  one  year  in  a  decade  of  unexampled  change,  and 
so  being  worthy  to  take  its  place  alongside  our  other 
studies  of  China,  in  the  great  libraries  of  the  world. 

In  two  respects,  besides  the  mere  extent  of  the 
journey,  we  put  out  special  claims  to  attention, — 
politics  and  literature. 

To  read  the  minds  of  Chinese  statesmen  we  have  no 
pretension;  the  wisest  of  European  diplomats  often 
finds  himself  baffled  by  the  imperturbable  mask.  But 
facts  speak,  and  we  have  seen  many  facts,  new  facts, 
portentious  facts.  China  has  for  ages  studied  the  arts 
of  peace,  and  has  looked  down  on  mere  fighters.  What- 
ever her  opinon  of  them  intrinsically  may  be,  she  has 
bowed  to  Western  opinion,  and  has  created  fighters 
wholesale.  The  new  educational  system  includes  many 
military  academies,  West  Points  and  Sandhursts.     Bar- 


X  FOREWORD 

racks  have  risen  at  every  great  city;  soldiers  fill  them 
as  fast  as  they  rise.  No  more  bows  and  arrows,  no 
more  somersaults  and  yells,  but  systematic  European 
drill  with  European  weapons  of  precision.  No  white 
man  may  cross  the  threshold  of  these  barracks ;  soldiers 
are  not  encouraged  to  frequent  white  society ;  there  is  an 
armed  neutrality.  Arsenals  are  in  evidence  at  every 
great  centre;  cannons  and  all  other  munitions  of  war 
are  being  made  within  the  empire.  This  is  not  the  case 
at  one  town  merely  or  at  two,  but  at  every  capital, — 
and  we  deal  here  only  with  capitals,  where  the  pulse  of 
the  nation  is  easily  felt.  The  whole  empire  seems  to  be 
arming,  not  in  extraordinary  haste,  but  with  thorough- 
ness, with  doggedness;  and  with  resources  wherewith 
no  one  European  nation  can  compare.  The  fact  stands ; 
let  who  will  interpret  it. 

Then  as  to  literature.  When  Constantinople's 
scholars  fled  west  and  took  with  them  their  Greek  learn- 
ing, after  a  few  years  the  time-honoured  Latin  text- 
books at  the  universities  were  thrown  out  as  waste  paper. 
That  hour  is  now  striking  in  China.  The  classics  on 
which  the  intellect  of  the  nation  has  been  trained  for  two 
thousand  years,  together  with  the  ephemeral  novels  and 
magical  dream-books  read  by  the  masses,  are  alike 
doomed.  Western  learning  for  the  one,  and  Western 
rubbish  for  the  other,  are  alike  displacing  the  older 
books.  In  a  few  years  these  will  hardly  be  obtainable, 
for  official  destruction  has  begun.  With  the  aid  of 
viceroys,  governors,  Hanlin  scholars,  librarians,  book- 
sellers, we  have  gathered  a  large  collection,  out  of  which 
selections  by  leading  scholars  have  been  translated,  and 
a  few  specimens  are  given,  to  let  the  reader  see  the  old 
style  of  book.  Local  proverbs  in  themselves  have  never 
been  brought  together  on  our  scale ;  and  to  choose  from 
a  mass  of  new  material  which  would  fill  three  volumes 
has  been  a  difficult  task. 


FOREWORD  xi 

Mere  travel  chapters  have  not  been  written.  No 
arbitrary  length  has  been  adopted;  if  one  place  pre- 
sented specially  interesting  features  and  another  seemed 
more  ordinary,  the  chapters  reflect  that  in  their  size. 
Twelve  hundred  photographs  have  enabled  a  careful 
choice  to  be  made,  and  the  illustrations  are  left  to  speak 
for  themselves,  without  a  superfluous  descripton  in  the 
text.  To  style  we  do  not  make  pretension,  but  we  do 
confidently  ofl'er  these  pictures,  this  selection  of  a  van- 
ishing literature,  this  description  of  the  eighteen  vital 
points  in  the  new  China,  to  those  who  would  get  an 
instantaneous  view  of  her  as  she  is  poised  between  the 
past  and  the  future. 

dotlestown,  pennsylvania, 
United  States  of  America, 
August  1,  A.  D.  1911. 


CONTENTS 

rAOB 

Introduction.     By  W.  A.  P.  Martin,  D.D.,  L.L.D vii 

Foreword ix 

THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITALS 

Hangchow  .1 1 

Chanrxels  and  Annals 1 

Confucius  came  to  Hang 15 

Hang:  The  City 23 

The  Governor 32 

The  Great  Street 37 

II.  FoocHOw 49 

Arrival  and  Exploration 49 

Poetry  and  Popular  Prose 65 

Medical  Foo 71 

WII.  Canton 7 78 

The  City  of  the  Goat 78 

"Ancient  Foot  Tracks" 84 

Dictionary  of  National  Biography 89 

The  Passing  of  Old  China 93 

New  Canton 99 

rV.  KWEILIN 103 

The  Ascent  of  the  Beautiful  Cassia  River 103 

The  Story  of  the  City 112 

The  Only  Foreign  Grave  at  Kweilin 124 

V.    KWEITANG 126 

Kweilin  to  Kweichow,  from  the  Cassia  Forest  to  the 

Land  of  Devils 126 

Paifangs:  Portals  of  Posthumous  Popularity 134 

The  Land  of  Devils  and  its  Capital 138 

Local  Literature  and  Fairy  Tales. 142 

Excursion  to  see  the  Miao 143 

xiil 


xiv  CONTENTS 

VI.   YUNNANFU 147 

The  Loftiest  Capital 147 

The  Fast  Fleeting  Past:  "Brother  Bright"  Annals. ...  151 

THE  YANGTZE  CAPITALS 

VII.  SoocHOW 158 

What  is  Soo? 158 

Soo— By  Boat 166 

Aj^  Novel 178 

VIII.|Nankin^ 191 

\      The  'Southern  Capital 191 

^•The  New  Nanking 199 

IX.  Ankinq 203 

A  Walk  Round  the  Wall 203 

The  Precious  Tower  of  Anking 215 

Local  Annals 220 

X.  Nanchang 229 

Lake  and  Ladies 229 

Porcelain,  Pope,  and  other  Products 233 

Gates  to  the  South 238 

Cyclopsedic  Nonsense 243 

XI.  Wuchang 248 

Three  Cities:  Three  Hills 248 

The  City  of  Military  Splendour 251 

The  New  Education 261 

XII.  Changsha 266 

A  Highland  Province 266 

The  Virgin  City 271 

The  Holy  Hill 274 

Entering  the  Forbidden  City 281 

Xin.  Chengtu 285 

Chu-ko  Liang:  Statesman- warrior 285 

Li  T'ai  Po:  Greatest  of  Celestial  Poets 288 

Li  Ping:  The  Great  Irrigator 292 

Products 299 

The  Fall  and  Rise  of  Religion 306 


CONTENTS  XV 

THE  YELLOW  CAPITALS 

XIV.  Lanchow 312 

The  Panhandle  Province 312 

The  Eight  Sceneries  of  Lan 316 

^,,g-Past,  Present,  and  Future 321 

Xy  SiAN/ 329 

/         As  it  is 329 

V,-^  As  it  was 336 

Annals  of  Sian 343 

XVy'KAIFEN^ 350 

\        Getting  There:  Extract  from  Diary 350 

^^'The  Tumble-Down  Town 354 

Kaifeng  Literature 363 

XVII.  Taitttanfu 370 

In  the  Land  of  Wolves 370 

City  and  Citizens 378 

XVm.  TsiNAN 386 

Leading  up  to  the  Capital 386 

Medicine,  Museum,  and  Men 390 

New  City,  New  People 394 

Literature:  In  the  Home  of  Literature 396 


/^ 


XIX.  PekinqI  Capital  of  Capitals 404 

>«-I¥king  from  Pearl  Grotto 404 

Peking  in  the  Annals 408 

Peking  from  the  Wall 415 

Peking  at  Night 417 

Peking  from  the  Altar  of  Heaven ^19 

Peking  under  a  Rainbow 421 

Index 425 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAOB 

The  beautiful  Big  South  Bridge,  remote  Kweiyang Frontispiece 

Chung  Hwa,  translated  "Central  Glory,"  is  the  Chinese  name  for  China  viii 

Map  of  Wu-Han 2 

Hangchow;  "Boat  Region,"  or  possibly,  "City  of  The  Sail" 3 

Feng  Hill  Gate  and  "Night  Basket,"  Hangchow 38 

Making  a  Horn  Lantern  Globe  on  Great  Street,  Hangchow 40 

Beautiful  Vertical  Signs  on  Great  Street,  Hangchow 40 

Ancient  Sundial  in  the  yard  of  the  Moslem  Mosque,  Hangchow 42 

"Burning  Paper  Altar,"  Lin  Yin  Monastery,  Hangchow 42 

Yiian-the-patriot;  sometimes  spoken  of  as  Yiian  Ch'ang-the-Martyr  ....  44 

Great  Peace  Bridge,  Hangchow 44 

The  ancient  Pagoda  of  the  Classics,  Lin  Yin  Monastery,  Hangchow 46 

The  beautiful  Monk's  Rest  Bridge,  Lin  Yin  Monastery,  Hangchow 48 

Foochow;  "Happy  Region" 51 

Dog  Worshippers — from  the  mountains  near  Foochow 58 

Head-dress  of  a  Dog-worshipping  Aboriginal 58 

The  White  Pagoda,  Foochow 62 

Foochow  Field  Woman 64 

North  Tower,  Foochow .  64 

"Paper  Burn"  on  Fairy  Peach  Place,  Black  Rock  Hill,  Foochow 66 

A  Foochow  Ceiling 66 

On  Kite  Hill,  Foochow 69 

Putting  up  the  Good  Luck  Characters 69 

Tombstone  of  First  Foreigner  murdered  in  Foochow.     Dr.  Ohlinger, 

the  oldest  missionary  in  the  City 76 

First  M.  E.  Church  built  in  Asia.     On  Great  Street  (suburb),  Foochow . .  76 

The  Sea  Guard  Tower 78 

Kwangchow  means  " Broad  District" 79 

View  from  the  "  Five-Story  House,"  Canton , 80 

A  Canton  Canal 82 

Scene  in  Canton 82 

Canton,  from  "The  Ancient  History  of  the  City  of  Goats" 84 

Flushed  Cloud  Fairy  Cave 86 

Lines  on  Likeness  of  Wang  Yang  Ming.    (Rubbing  taken  from  an  engraved 

stone.)    88 

Kweilin  means  "  A  Forest  of  Cassia  " 105 

Aboriginal  Women  snapped  at  Wan  Tien,  Kwangsi 108 

Below  Yangseh,  Cassia  River,  Kwangsi,  enroute  Wuchow  to  Kweilin. ...  110 

Pinglo  on  the  Cassia  River,  Kwangsi 112 

The  Modern  Prison  School  at  Kweilin 114 

The  Great  Middle  School,  Kweilin  in  remote  Kwangsi 116 

The  new  Hall  for  the  Provincial  Assembly  at  Kweilin.     Ruins  of  the 

"Imperial  City"  are  still  standing.     Gold  and  Purple  Good  Luck 

Rock,  in  the  background 118 

zvii 


xviii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAOS 

An   Historic   Room   at   Kweilin.     Here  convened  the  first  Provincial 

Assembly  in  the  Province  of  Kwangsi 118 

Portrait  of  Chang  Min-chi,  aggressive  Governor  of  Kwangsi 120 

The  City  of  Kweilin  from  the  Kweishan  Pavilion  where  the  Governor 

and  distinguished  scholars  gave  a  banquet  in  honour  of  the  author . .    122 

The  famous  Pagoda  church,  French  Catholic,  at  Kweiyang 126 

Blue  Miao  Women,  with  bare  knees,  wearing  kilts.     Near  Kweiyang ....   126 

Kweiyang,  Capital  of  Kweichow 128 

Kweiyang  can  be  translated  "South  of  the  Kwei  Mountains" 129 

Big  Flowery  Miao — Man  and  Wife,  Anshun,  Kweichow 130 

Big  Flowery  Miao  C.  I.  M,  Bible  Class,  Weilingchow 130 

First  hospital  erected  in  Kweichow.     Also  the  first  ever  built  for  the  Miao  132 

Flowery  Miao  Women  in  gala  garments — at  Lanha  Tien 132 

Big  Flowery  Miao  Band  that  serenaded  the  Author  on  New  Year's  Day 

at  Anshun,  Kweichow 134 

Ploughing  fliooded  rice  field  outside  Kweiyang 134 

Stone  Honorary  Portals  northeast  of  Anshun,  Kweichow 136 

Pailo  outside  the  Hong  Pien  Men,  Kweiyang 138 

H.  E.  Pang  Hong  Shu,  distinguished  Governor  of  Kweichow 142 

Map  of  Yunnanfu,  highest  Capital  in  the  Central  Glory 148 

"Yunnan"  signifies  "South  of  the  Yun  Mountains."     "Yun"  means 

Cloud  or  Cloudy" 149 

Parrot's  Beak  Mountain 150 

On  the  Road  from  Chowtung  to  Yunnanfu 150 

The  Golden  Temple  northeast  of  the  City  of  Yunnanfu,  built  by  Cheng 

Yong-ping  in  the  Ming  Dynasty 152 

Hiahsen-tung  is  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  City  of  Yunnanfu.     Built 

in  1779  by  gentry  and  a  priest  called  U-Hong 154 

Entrance  to  the  Wu  Shan  Gorge,  Yangtze 158 

•Soochow  means  "The  Soo  District."     "Soo"  signifies  to  revive  an  old 

state 159 

Soochow,  Gubernatorial  Capital  of  Kiangsu 160 

Fish  Pond  in  the  "Life  Saving  Garden,"  Soochow 164 

The  Old  South  Gate  Pagoda,  Soochow,  Kiangsu,  China 164 

Fan  Chung  Yen  (Father) 166 

Peach  Blossom  Canal,  looking  toward  Fragrant  Flower  Bridge,  Soochow 

—Venice  of  China 168 

T'si  Men  Canal,  looking  north,  Soochow — Beautiful  Soo. 168 

Main  Building,  Soochow  University 170 

"The  Custom's  Bridge,"  Soochow 170 

Soo's  South  (Water)  Gate 174 

The  Great  Pagoda  from  near  the  Execution  Grounds 174 

Twin  Pen  Pagodas,  nearly  1000  years  old,  near  the  Examination  Hall, 

Soochow 176 

The  Ink  Pagoda,  120  feet  high,  near  the  East  Wall,  inside  inner  moat, 

Soochow 176 

South  Horse  Road  Bridge,  over  the  T'si  Men  Canal,  Soochow 178 

Soochow  Examination  Halls  adjoining  the  Twin  Pen  Pagodas 178 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xix 

PAGB 

Nanking 192 

Kiangning  means  "The  River's  Peace."     This  is  the  official  name  of 

Nanking,  which  is  translated  "The  Southern  Capital  " 193 

Map  of  Northeast  Kiangsi 194 

Tuan  Fang,  the  progressive  Viceroy,  caged  the  Ming  Tomb  Elephants 

to  prevent  foreigners  chipping  off  mementoes.     Nanking 200 

Kiangsi  Vase 200 

Buddhist  Stone  on  the  Execution  Ground,  outside  the  North  Gate,  Anking  204 

Famous  Medicine  Stone  at  the  East  Gate  of  Anking 204 

Anking  means  "Peace  and  Happiness"  or  "Peaceful  Congratulations"  205 

Anking-on-the- Yangtze,  Capital  of  Anhwei 206 

The  Old  Mint  of  Anking,  now  a  gun  works  and  electric  plant 226 

Nanchang  means  "Splendour  of  the  South  " 231 

Chang  Tien  Si,  The  Taoist  Pope 236 

The  Home  Bible  Seminary  taking  lessons  in  botany,  Nanchang 240 

The  Great  Nanchang  Pagoda  near  the  C.  I.  M.     A  Lucky  Spot 240 

Old  Examination  Cells  at  Nanchang 242 

Wuchang;  "  Military  Splendour  " 249 

Musical  Instruments  used  by  the  blind  fortune  tellers  of  Wuchang 255 

Changsha,  Capital  of  Hunan 266 

Changsha  means  "Long  Sand  " 267 

A  famous  Cannon  on  the  wall  of  Changsha  called  "The  Red-haired 

Great  General  " 268 

A  Beggar  who  rolls  through  the  streets  of  Changsha 268 

Dr.  Geil,   Gov.  Ts'en   (in   the  centre),  and  distinguished  officials  who 

accompanied  the  Governor  when  he  called  on  the  Author  at  Changsha  272 
Yang  Hsi  Shao,  brilliant  scholar  and  second  convert  of  the  C.  I.  M.  in 

Changsha 274 

On  the  River  at  Changsha 274 

The  son  of  Li,  who  at  six  years  of  age,  could  rej>eat  the  Sermon  on  the 

Mount  without  a  mistake 276 

On  the  Tung  Ting  Lake 276 

A  Chinese  deed 282 

Ulcer  patient  at  Dr.  Keller's  Hospital,  Changsha 282 

Chengtu,  Capital  of  Szechwan 286 

Chengtu  might  be  translated  "A  Perfect  Capital  " 287 

Shrine  built  by  Old  Ladies  at  the  South-Gate- Bridge,  over  one  of  Liping's 

Canals,  at  Kwanhsien 296 

Salt  Wells  at  Tzeling,  Szechwan 300 

Hall  of  the  Provincial  Assembly  of  Szechwan  at  Chengtu 806 

Lanchow,  Capital  of  Kansu 312 

Lanchow,  signifying  "The  District  of  the  Lan  Hwa."     The  "Lan"  is 

the  Aglaia  Odorata,  the  most  fragrant  flower  in  China 313 

Tibetan  Prayer  Wheel,  southwest  of  Lanchow,  near  Jaochow 318 

Among  the  "Eight  Sceneries  of  Lan"  is  the  Wo  Cantilever  Bridge,  a 

footbridge  over  a  small  stream  flowing  to  the  Yellow  River  just 

west  of  Lanchow 318 


XX  ILLUSTRATIONS 

fkOM 

Sian,  Capita]  of  Shensi 830 

Sian  signifies  "  Western  Repose " 381 

There  are  beautiful  Private  Parks  in  the  Ancient  Capital  Sianfu 338 

The  famous  "Big  Tower,"  nine  li  south  of  Sianfu 334 

School  children,  of  the  Scandinavian  Alliance  Mission,  taking  a  boat 

ride.     Outside  the  South  Gate  of  Sianfu 350 

Map  of  Kaifeng,  Capital  of  Honan 360 

Kaifeng  means  "  Opening  of  the  Seals  " 851 

A  Family  of  Yellow  Jews  at  Kaifengfu 862 

"Summer  Rest"  of  the  Ts'eng  Brothers'  Memorial,  Kaifengfu 366 

Honan  Hall  of  Assembly,  Kaifengfu 360 

Taiyuan  may  be  translated  "Great  Plain " 871 

Tsinan,  Capital  of  Shantung 386 

Tsinan  means  "South  of  the  Tsi  River."     "Tsi"  meaning  "succor"  or 

"relieve  " 387 

Hedgehog  eating  Chinese  musk-melon 388 

The  Moon.     From  an  Ancient  Tablet  at  Tsinan 389 

The  new  Public  Library  in  Tsinan 392 

Oldest  Native  Christian  in  Shantung,  a  Presbyterian.     Tsinan 392 

Peking,  Imperial  Capital  of  China. 404 

King  Shi,  the  oflScial  title  of  Peking 405 

Peking  means  "  Northern  Capital " 407 

Son  of  Peace  Street,  Peking 416 

Outer  Gate  Tower,  Ping  Tzii  Men,  Peking 416 

View  of  the  new  Peking  Water  Works  from  the  East  Wall 420 


VISIT   SOOCUOW    ASD    HANGCHOW  ;    THE    NEXT    PLACE    IS    HEAVBM 


EIGHTEEN  CAPITALS 
OF  CHINA 

THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITALS 
I 

HANGCHOW 

PART  I.— CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

On  the  east  coast  of  Cathay,  in  the  latitude  of  New 
Orleans,  is  a  wide  estuary  which  rapidly  narrows  and 
turns  southward.  With  every  high  tide  a  wave  sweeps 
in  from  the  Pacific,  sixty  miles  wide,  contracts  speedily 
to  ten  miles,  and  piles  itself  up  to  a  height  of  ten  feet. 
A  sea  wall,  erected  to  prevent  the  land  from  being 
flooded,  changes  and  reflects  it,  so  that  behind  the  first 
wall  of  water  is  a  second,  five  to  fifteen  feet  higher. 
These  two  gigantic  liquid  ramparts  speed  up  the  estuary 
at  a  rate  of  thirteen  miles  an  hour,  with  a  roar  like  that 
of  the  rapids  below  Niagara.  Pharaoh  with  all  his 
chariots  would  be  hard  put  to  it  if  he  were  out  exercising 
on  the  sands. 

But  as  the  channel  bends  and  narrows  and  shallows, 
the  height  lessens ;  even  at  full  moon,  by  2  a.m.,  no  more 
than  seven  feet  of  water  tower  above  the  banks  that 
await  it.  They  shelter  opposite  the  walls  of  a  great 
city  on  the  northwest  bank,  and  by  three  o'clock  the 
sailors  of  Hangchow  can  take  advantage  of  a  swift  ebb- 
tide.   But  we  will  let  the  Bore  strand  us  here,  and  spend 

1 


ft  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

some  time  investigating  the  million  people  who  dwell 
at  the  head  of  this  firth. 

Their  ancestors  have  been  here  for  an  indefinite  time, 
during  which  the  estuary  must  have  changed  shape 
greatly,  as  geologists  and  topographers  assure  us,  but 
there  is  no  record  of  anything  before  326  a.d.  Just 
about  the  time  when  Constantine  gathered  several 
Christian  bishops  with  a  view  to  patronising  their  relig- 
ion and  strengthening  his  empire,  a  Buddhist  monk 
from  India  founded  a  convent  here,  and  its  history 
begins.  But  though  many  fishers  may  have  settled 
at  the  foot  of  the  hills  and  plied  their  calling  on  these 
strange  waters,  though  more  longshoremen  may  have 
laid  out  their  salt-pans  on  the  shallows,  though  more 
and  more  peasants  must  have  tilled  the  rich  soil 
brought  by  the  inland  flood,  nearly  three  centuries 
passed  before  any  one  thought  it  worth  while  to  erect 
any  walls  within  which  the  poor  folk  might  feel  secure. 
It  is  now  slightly  more  than  thirteen  hundred  years 
since  Yang  Su  established  the  first  city  here,  and  ap- 
parently by  that  time  the  rivers  had  assumed  practically 
their  present  course;  and  within  a  generation  a  fresh 
race  of  men  came  by  sea  to  trade,  and  the  Buddhists  had 
to  share  propagandism  with  the  Moslems. 

The  estuary  then  became  the  chief  centre  of  foreign 
commerce,  though  the  Bore  prevented  Hangchow  itself 
from  being  the  port.  The  fleets  came  only  to  Kanpu, 
where  an  immense  concourse  of  foreigners  settled. 
Here  the  Parsee  could  be  seen,  worshipping  the  Rising 
Sun,  or  bowing  at  his  fire-altar,  or  carrying  a  corpse 
to  the  Tower  of  Silence;  here  the  Jew  intoned  his  law, 
and  rested  on  the  Sabbath ;  here  the  Christian,  who  had 
come  overland  from  Persia  and  had  been  known  in  the 
land  many  a  century,  read  his  Syriac  Bible  or  saw  his 
converts  translating  and  printing  in  Chinese ;  here,  too, 
the  Moslem   built  his   mosque,   whence   the   muezzin 


Map  of  Wu-Han. 
By  I.  H.  Moser,  of  Hankow. 


EEATEN    IS  AWAY    IN  THE   SKY,    BCT   SUUCUOW   AND   HAhOCHOW 
ABK   HEBK   BELOW 


Hangchow;  "Boat  R^ion,"  or  possibly,  "City  of  The  Sail.' 


4  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

chanted  five  times  daily  the  sonorous  Arab  call  to 
prayer. 

The  Chinese  at  Hangchow  looked  askance  at  this 
peaceful  invasion,  and  felt  much  as  the  Greeks  at  Con- 
stantinople when  they  viewed  the  western  barbarians 
from  Genoa  or  Venice  who  fortified  a  point  across  the 
Golden  Horn,  or  much  as  the  Londoner  when  he  finds 
a  square  mile  in  the  East  End  where  churches  are 
turned  into  synagogues  and  the  notices  are  all  in 
Hebrew.  Hangchow  was  also  rich  and  large,  and  the 
time  came  when  a  reasonable  cause  of  quarrel  was 
found.  The  foreign  mart  was  sacked,  and  20,000 
foreigners  whose  names  were  down  on  the  list  of  alien 
tax-payers  were  said  to  have  been  destroyed.  Hang- 
chow killed  the  goose  that  laid  the  golden  eggs;  the 
trade  went  to  Canton  and  gave  that  district  its  com- 
mercial start.  But  Hangchow  managed  to  thrive  well 
by  picking  the  goose's  bones,  and  a  few  years  later,  as 
our  ninth  century  was  drawing  to  an  end,  the  prince 
of  the  district  fixed  on  this  as  his  capital,  and  put  up  a 
new  set  of  walls,  double  the  length  of  the  former,  mak- 
ing the  circuit  some  twenty-seven  miles. 

His  successor  set  himself  to  deal  with  the  Bore,  and 
we  have  a  vivid  account  of  his  difiiculties  and  his  skill. 
"  Encountering  day  and  night  the  violent  assaults  of 
the  tide,  he  could  never  succeed  in  joining  the  two  parts 
of  his  work.  Then  the  prince  ordered  several  hundred 
crossbowmen  to  shoot  their  bolts  in  order  to  slay  the 
spirit  of  the  tide,  while  he  caused  prayers  to  be  offered 
on  the  hill.  Thereupon  the  tide  retired  in  shame,  when 
the  prince  hastened  to  make  bamboo  baskets,  which  he 
filled  with  stones  and  anchored  with  huge  piles.  The 
dyke  thus  ended,  he  waited  awhile  before  proceeding 
to  build  the  fortifications."  What  is  now  a  level 
plain  was  previously  washed  by  the  river.  Good  for 
the  Chinese  Canute!    But  the  account  leads  us  to  think 


TO   Btt   BORN  IN   TANGCHOW,    TO   HAVE   STUDIED   IN   8000HOW,    AND 
TO   DIB  IN   HANOCHOW 

there  is  a  little  confusion  as  to  which  prince  built  the 
city  walls.  The  third  of  this  line  was  an  ardent  Buddh- 
ist, and  in  front  of  the  Convent  of  the  Heaven  of 
Brahma,  outside  the  present  South  Gate,  in  the  year  966 
A.D.  he  erected  two  elegant  petticoated  polygonal  pil- 
lars, still  to  be  seen. 

These  were  the  palmy  days  of  Hangchow.  One 
governor  in  the  next  century  was  equally  famous  for 
his  poetry  and  his  picnics.  Whenever  Su  Tung-p'o 
could  spare  a  holiday,  he  would  gather  a  fleet  of  pleas- 
ure barges  on  the  artificial  lake  west  of  the  city. 
After  early  breakfast  a  captain  was  chosen  for  each 
craft,  and  there  was  great  rivalry  who  could  arrange 
the  happiest  day  for  his  guests,  with  chorus  and  ballet- 
girls.  As  afternoon  faded,  a  gong  summoned  all  to 
some  lake-side  hotel,  where  they  feasted  again;  then, 
before  the  market  closed  and  the  gates  were  shut,  the 
whole  joyous  company  rode  home  by  torch-light,  to  the 
amusement  of  the  citizens  as  they  watched  the  "  return 
of  the  thousand  riders."  Many  anecdotes  are  told  of 
this  Louis  the  Fourteenth  with  his  mistress,  his  dirge  for 
the  geese  that  had  to  be  slain  for  the  revellers,  and 
his  plea  that  they  should  be  saved  as  they  formed  good 
watch-dogs — quite  an  Irish  reminiscence  of  a  Roman 
bull! 

A  great  change  took  place  when  the  Sung  Dynasty 
was  driven  southward  by  the  Mongol  invaders.     The 

Great  Wall,  whose  builder  in  B.C. is  said  to  have 

moored  his  boat  to  a  huge  rock  here,  had  failed  to  keep 
out  the  desert  tribes,  and  the  northern  hosts  poured  into 
the  land.  The  retreating  Emperor  pitched  his  camp 
here  about  1130  a.d.,  and  presently  decided  to  make  this 
the  new  imperial  capital.  He  built  new  and  massive 
fortifications  extending  right  to  the  river,  enclosing  all 


6  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

the  existing  suburbs  and  affording  ample  space  for 
a  magnificent  palace  with  parks.  The  walls  at  this 
time  are  said  to  have  been  nearly  forty  miles  round; 
indeed,  a  European  traveller  said  one  hundred  miles, 
but  he  probably  meant  one  hundred  li.  We  are  not 
accustomed  to  walled  cities,  but  it  may  be  remembered 
that  if  a  wall  were  to  be  put  round  Melbourne  in 
Australia,  with  its  ports  and  its  parks  embosomed  in  the 
midst,  it  would  need  to  be  fully  forty  miles  long;  and 
the  fortifications  around  Paris  are  on  a  similar  vast 
scale. 

Under  these  conditions,  the  city  became  a  Babylon 
or  a  Corinth,  a  place  of  vast  wealth,  expenditure,  luxury, 
and  vice.  We  hear  of  it  from  Arabs  and  Persians,  as 
well  as  from  an  Italian,  Marco  Polo,  who  left  a  glow- 
ing account  of  it  as  the  noblest  and  best  city  in  the 
world.  He  tells  of  the  great  Rotten  Row,  Route  du 
Roi,  some  three  miles  long,  the  centre,  twenty  feet 
wide,  gravelled  over  the  rain-water  drains,  and  a  ten- 
foot  paved  road  on  either  hand.  Along  the  street 
rolled  numerous  covered  carriages  holding  six  people. 
This  feature  alone  convinced  him  of  the  superiority  to 
Europe:  "  Inside  the  city  there  is  a  lake  some  thirty 
miles  around  ;*  and  all  about  it  are  built  beautiful  palaces 
and  mansions,  belonging  to  the  city  nobles,  of  the  richest 
and  most  exquisite  structure  imaginable.  On  its  shores 
are  also  many  abbeys  and  churches  of  the  idolaters.  In 
the  lake  are  two  islands,  on  either  of  which  stands  a  rich, 
spacious,  and  beautiful  edifice,  furnished  as  would 
become  an  emperor's  palace,  and  if  a  citizen  would  cele- 
brate a  wedding  breakfast  or  give  an  entertainment,  it 
used  to  be  done  at  one  of  these  palatial  hotels."  At 
this  time  the  Chinese  Christians  had  a  church  here,  and 
when  the  Mongols  at  last  ousted  the  Sungs,  Chinese 

*  It  was  not  even  thirty  li. 


TO  BUT   SILKS   AND  SATINS   YOU    MUST   BOTH  00  TO   SOOCHOW   AMD 
HAKOCHOW 

Christianity  came  to  the  height  of  its  glory,  though  the 
Itahans  could  hardly  understand  Christians  who  knew 
little  of,  and  cared  nothing  for,  the  Pope  of  Rome. 

But  the  Mongols  disdained  walls,  like  the  German 
conquerors  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Hangchow  was  not 
their  capital;  its  ramparts  were  plundered  by  any 
builder,  and  the  place  lost  its  glory.  And  so  when  the 
Chinese  dynasty  of  the  Mings  "  ascended  the  summit," 
the  Japanese  found  the  district  defenceless,  and  are 
known  to  have  plundered  and  burnt. 

With  the  Mongols,  native  Christianity  had  practi- 
cally vanished.  It  had  learned  to  lean  on  the  secular 
arm,  and  when  the  Mongol  State  fell  the  Mongol  Church 
fell  also.  But  by  this  time  the  barbarians  of  the  Far 
West  had  found  a  sea  route  to  China,  and  in  1582  an 
Italian  Jesuit  named  Ricci,  "  a  man  with  a  curling 
beard  and  blue  eyes,  his  voice  like  a  great  bell,  was 
admitted  to  an  Imperial  audience.  He  presented 
books,  images,  and  other  objects  from  his  native 
country.  He  was  intelligent,  witty,  and  of  manifold 
ability,  understood  our  Chinese  writings,  and  could 
read  whatever  he  had  once  glanced  at."  The  historian 
goes  on  to  record  his  successors,  and  Bishop  Moule 
describes  how  he  has  visited  their  burial-place,  five 
miles  west  of  Hangchow,  and  has  identified  the  tombs 
of  Nicolas  Trigault,  who  in  1615  published  an  account 
of  the  Christian  expedition  to  the  Chinese,  and 
Emmanuel  Diaz,  with  other  less  known  pioneers. 

It  will  be  more  interesting  to  take  the  native  twelve 
volumes  written  on  Hangchow  and  the  district  around 
by  a  Chinese  scholar  of  that  age,  T'ien  Shu-cheng, 
who  secured  a  preface  by  the  governor  of  the  province. 
The  first  three  of  these  are  occupied  with  a  close  descrip- 
tion of  the  lake  and  of  the  public  buildings. 


a  CHANNELS  AND   ANNALS 

An  anecdote  is  related  of  a  lad  who  was  impressed 
by  the  massy  rock  to  which  the  great  Emperor  Ch*in 
had  moored  his  boat,  and  had  thought  of  carving  it. 
As  a  man  he  became  a  Buddhist  monk  in  the  Monastery 
of  Wonderful  Doings,  taking  the  name  Calm  Thoughts. 
He  fulfilled  his  early  aspirations,  chiselled  the  rock  into 
a  bust  of  the  Buddha,  covered  it  with  gold,  and  roofed 
it  in.  In  Mongol  times  it  was  defaced,  and  the  temple 
burned;  but  in  the  reign  of  Yung  Lo  it  was  restored, 
the  temple  rebuilt,  and  a  monastery  annexed. 

There  is  also  a  good  explanation  of  a  curious  stream- 
name:  When  the  great  Emperor  Shun  wanted  to 
retire,  he  offered  the  throne  to  a  native  of  this  vicinity. 
The  Chinese  Cincinnatus,  who  was  ploughing  at  the 
time,  felt  so  unworthy  that  he  went  to  a  near-by  stream 
and  washed  his  ear,  and  also  the  ear  of  his  ox,  feeling 
unworthy  that  such  an  offer  should  remain  in  their 
ears.  The  water  is  now  known  as  the  "  Wash  Ear 
Stream." 

Our  author  was  not  content  with  his  three  books  of 
continuous  description,  but  accumulated  all  the  legends 
or  folklore  that  he  could  pick  up,  and  not  only  recorded 
them  but  commented  on  them  and  sought  to  elicit  any 
grains  of  truth  they  might  contain.  His  discrimination 
was  surely  praiseworthy^  and  his  disproportion  will  be 
understood  by  all  who  have  busied  themselves  with 
winnowing  chaff  from  wheat  or  with  milling  gold  ore 
and  washing  away  the  powdered  stone.  But  we  might 
wish  he  had  also  gathered  together  his  precious  grains 
and  baked  them  into  one  compact  cake.  Meantime  it 
is  worth  noting  how  he  groups  his  antiquarian  material. 

He  begins  with  two  sections  on  everything  that 
connected  the  city  with  any  emperors ;  a  third  deals  with 
festivals  and  their  customs,  a  fourth  with  bad  rulers,  a 
fifth  with  ruins,  a  sixth  with  angels  and  saints,  the 
seventh  and  ninth  with  celebrated  scholars,  the  eighth 


WUKN    yOO    ARE    VKRY   ANGRY,    DON'T    00    TO    LAW;    WHEK   YOU    ARB 
VBRY  HUNGRY,   DON'T  MAKB  TKRSKS 

with  the  city  hill  and  people  associated  therewith;  the 
tenth  is  a  remarkable  blend  of  Buddhist  and  Taoist 
priests  with  renowned  harlots;  the  eleventh  catalogues 
the  works  of  local  scholars;  then  follow  jugglers  and 
geomancers,  the  origin  of  festivals,  quiet  places  by  the 
lake;  and  he  closes  with  reasons  for  strolling  by  the 
lake.  This  scheme  shows  that  our  ideas  of  logic  do  not 
exactly  coincide  with  Chinese,  and  it  suggests  that 
even  a  learned  scholar  is  not  above  poking  a  little  fun 
at  the  legends  he  gathers  together.  This  enormous 
dust-heap  occupies  nine  books  in  all,  and  it  is  worth 
raking  over  for  a  few  choice  samples  of  ancient  lore. 

His  critical  powers  are  exemplified  on  the  changes 
of  name.  He  quotes  from  old  records :  "  The  name 
of  Hangchow  comes  down  from  the  days  of  the  divine 
Yu,  who  was  stemming  the  floods,  and  assembled  his 
chiefs  at  Kwei  Chi  across  the  river  [of  Tsien  Tang] ; 
when  he  arrived  here  he  threw  away  his  boat  ['  hang '] 
and  came  up  on  the  dry  land ;  so  it  was  called  Yii  Hang, 
or  the  boat  of  Yii.  And  when  Shao  K*ang  appointed 
his  son  Wu  Yu  over  Yiieh  [the  old  kingdom  south  of 
the  river]  to  have  charge  of  the  sacrifices  to  Yii,  it  was 
again  called  Yii  Hang.  When  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti 
was  ruling  [about  216  B.C.],  Yii  Hang  was  the  county 
name.  When  the  Sui  rulers  were  in  power,  it  was  called 
Hangchow."  On  this  fragment  of  old  lore  the  author 
comments  that  probably  when  the  divine  Yii  was  still- 
ing the  waves  the  regions  of  Wu  and  Yiieh  were  all 
under  water,  and,  though  there  was  dry  land  appearing, 
it  was  impossible  to  cross  without  a  floating  bridge. 
The  word  "  hang  "  meant,  not  a  usual  boat,  but  a  row 
of  boats  abreast,  or  a  square  boat  or  punt.  As  the 
Book  of  Rites  ordains  that  a  scholar  is  entitled  to  a 
single  boat,  but  an  officer  to  this  "hang"  (punt),  the 


10  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

true  interpretation  of  the  passage  is  apparently  that 
Yii  officially  established  a  ferry  here,  with  a  punt  to 
take  people  from  side  to  side. 

Other  anecdotes  are  jotted  down  as  to  famous  resi- 
dents. The  Sung  Emperor,  Kao  Tsung,  at  an  enter- 
tainment given  to  his  ministers  saw  Prince  Tsang  Tsin 
holding  a  boy's  jewelled  fan,  which  he  rocognized  as 
one  that  he  had  accidentally  dropped  into  the  water  at 
Ningpo  ten  years  before.  The  prince  proved  to  have 
bought  it  in  a  shop  on  the  Great  Street ;  the  shopkeeper 
proved  to  have  bought  it  from  a  pedlar;  the  pedlar 
proved  to  have  bought  it  from  a  scullion  to  a  family 
called  Tsen  outside  the  Waiting-for-the-tide  Gate;  and 
she  declared  that  she  found  it  in  a  fish  which  she  was 
cleaning.  The  Emperor  took  this  as  an  omen  that  he 
would  recover  his  lost  provinces,  and  rewarded  the 
prince,  the  curio-dealer,  the  pedlar,  and  the  scullion. 
Last  of  all,  the  story  got  into  the  Arabian  Nights! 
This  same  Emperor  heard  of  a  poet  who  had  written 
an  epigTam  on  his  wasting  time  by  training  doves  to 
fly  and  asking  why  he  did  not  train  a  carrier-pigeon  to 
bring  news  from  the  two  dethroned  and  exiled 
Emperors;  he  appointed  the  poet  to  office — and  so 
probably  stilled  his  critical  muse.  It  was  this  Emperor 
who  invented  the  practice  of  having  one  set  of  chop- 
sticks to  help  the  food  from  the  dish  to  the  plate,  and 
another  to  eat  off  the  plate ;  he  had  to  explain  to  Queen 
Wu  that  otherwise  his  dirty  sticks  would  spoil  all  the 
food  in  the  dish — a  remark  that  is  a  wonderful  illu- 
minant  as  to  manners  and  hygiene  in  his  day. 

Our  recorder  notes  that  under  the  Sungs  there  were 
twenty-one  large  fires,  one,  ranging  for  two  miles  and  a 
half,  displacing  13,000  families,  while  the  worst  raged 
for  four  days  and  nights,  burning  out  50,000 
people,  destroying  temples  and  famous  buildings 
and  twelve  miles  of  streets.      Our  sapient  chronicler 


^1^-i%%Al^-^b^  " 


MAK    18    A   SHALL    HKAVKH 


has  sought  to  assign  five  reasons  for  the  preva- 
lence of  fires  then,  and  notes  that  the  population 
had  greatly  increased,  that  brick  had  been  largely 
replaced  by  wood,  that  in  most  houses  there  was  a  shrine 
of  Buddha  with  lamps  and  streamers,  that  people 
revelled  till  late  at  night  and  threw  away  their  candles 
carelessly,  that  housewives  were  too  lazy  to  see  after 
the  domestic  economy. 

While  T'ien  Shu-cheng  was  sweeping  together 
everything  that  bore  upon  Hangchow  and  bundling  it 
into  his  lengthy  appendix,  he  came  across  a  variety  of 
legends,  many  of  them  about  the  lake  which  is  such  a 
great  feature  in  the  city  life.  Here  are  a  few  choice 
excerpts : 

The  miraculous  light  of  a  greenish  red  appeared  in 
the  Sung  dynasty  floating  over  the  surface  of  the  West 
Lake;  it  began  at  the  Eating  Pavilion.  Later  a  man 
had  a  belt  of  rhinoceros  hide;  when  he  put  it  on  and 
waded  into  the  water,  the  water  divided  seven  feet  and 
let  him  through  dry  I  There  was  a  fine  sword  that 
would  cut  right  through  ten  nails  without  injury,  could 
be  bent  into  a  hook,  and  back  straight.  *'  That  was  a 
rare  piece  of  iron."  ...  A  hog  gave  birth  to  two  mon- 
strosities with  the  heads  of  men  and  the  bodies  of  pigs, 
which  was  taken  as  an  omen  of  rebellion. 

In  the  reign  of  Kwang  Hwa^  the  third  year  and  ninth 
moon,  there  were  dragons  fighting  in  Hangchow,  and 
the  waters  rose  and  surrounded  the  houses  of  the  people. 
...  In  the  sixth  year  of  Yiian  Yu  there  was  a  great 
flood  in  the  west  of  Chekiang;  in  Hangchow  there  died 
500,000  people.  ...  In  the  eighth  year  of  Hsi  Ning 
there  were  three  outbursts  of  blood  from  the  earth  in 
Hangchow;  the  stench  could  not  be  endured  to  smell. 
...  In  the  reign  of  Chien  Yen,  inside  the  Clear  Wave 

■  In  the  T'ang  dynasty,  900  a.d. 


n  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

Gate,  from  the  level  ground  around  Bamboo  Hill  blood 
spurted  out  of  the  ground  and  became  a  pool ;  the  stench 
could  be  smelt  a  number  of  li.  .  .  .  The  next  year  the 
Golden  Men  [i.e..  Chin  Tartars]  came  and  killed  over 
10,000  people. 

Near  Hangchow  in  the  third  year  and  eighth  moon 
of  Shao  Hsing,  the  earth  brought  forth  White  Fur  which 
a  scythe  could  not  cut;  so  the  children  have  a  saying, 
"  When  the  earth  moves  and  brings  out  White  Fur  it  is 
time  for  old  and  young  to  flee  together."  In  the 
twentieth  year  of  the  same  Emperor,  a  woman  had  a  son 
with  blue  hair  and  two  fleshy  horns.  ...  In  the  sixth 
year  of  Ch'ien  Tao,  at  the  North  Gate  was  found  a  black 
fish  with  a  man's  hands  protruding  from  each  side  of  its 
stomach.  In  the  twelfth  year  and  second  moon  of 
Shun  Hsi,  on  the  bank  of  the  river  at  Dragon  Hill  there 
was  a  great  fish  like  an  elephant  which  came  up  with  the 
Bore  tide  and  returned  with  it.  In  the  thirteenth  year, 
eighth  moon,  of  the  same  prince,  blood  spurted  from  the 
ground  in  the  house  of  a  family  in  Hangchow  city  as 
high  as  the  rafters,  and  stained  men's  clothing. 

In  the  fourteenth  year,  sixth  moon,  at  Linan,  a 
family  had  a  son  which  could  speak  at  birth  and  was 
four  feet  in  height.  ...  In  the  third  year,  fourth  moon, 
of  K'ai  Hsi  the  Tsien-tang  River  "  overflowed  its  banks 
greatly  "  and  covered  people's  houses ;  the  same  was 
true  of  the  lake  .  .  .  the  houses  around  the  lake  were 
destroyed.  In  the  reign  of  Chia  T'ai  there  was  a  great 
drought,  and  the  fish  in  the  lake  all  came  to  the  surface ; 
those  who  ate  them  got  sick  with  what  was  called  a 
"  fish  epidemic." 

In  the  reign  of  Chih  Cheng,  of  the  Mongol  Dynasty, 
Dragon  Year,  third  moon,  a  Black  Breath,  thunder  and 
lightning  from  heaven  and  a  rain  of  things  resembling 
fruit-stones  in  five  colors  came  down  with  the  raindrops. 
On  cracking  and  eating  them  they  were  sweet,  like  pine 
seeds ;  at  the  time  it  was  said  that  they  were  the  seeds 
of  the  Sobo  tree,  a  tree  said  to  be  in  the  moon. 


5?  *D  'll^  «  ».  <a  B8  P  *  «  " 

to  K.Now  ▲  man's  hkaht  listrn  to  his  words 

It  will  appear  that  in  ancient  times  Hangchow  was 
a  remarkably  interesting  place  to  live  in,  and  we  are  not 
surprised  to  hear  that  the  population  was  large.  But 
the  author  himself  says  cautiously,  "  It  would  be  rather 
hard  to  prove  these  things." 

Now  we  take  our  leave  of  this  prolific  old  antiquary 
of  Tudor  days,  and  pursue  the  fortunes  of  Hangchow 
after  the  Manchu  Tartars  overthrew  the  Mings  and  in 
1644  seized  the  reins  of  empire,  which  they  have  held 
ever  since.  These  foreigners  were  wiser  than  the  Mon- 
gols, who  ostentatiously  disdained  fortresses ;  they  built 
a  Tatar  city  adjoining  every  important  city,  and  garri- 
soned it  with  their  troops  to  be  a  permanent  force, 
holding  the  natives  in  subjection.  These  were  the 
people  who  compelled  the  Chinese  to  shave  the  front 
of  their  heads  and  plait  their  hair  into  queues;  and 
they  contemptuously  refused  to  adopt  the  Chinese  cus- 
tom of  cramping  their  women's  feet.  Only  under  our 
own  eyes  are  the  Manchu  conquerors  and  the  Chinese 
subjects  blending,  as  Normans  and  English  did  after 
three  centuries.  The  invention  of  gunpowder  did  much 
to  equalise  the  Norman  knight  and  the  English  man-at- 
arms;  and  now  the  front  Tatar  banner-man  and  the 
mere  Chinese  warrior  are  alike  superseded  by  a  new 
army,  drilled  and  armed  on  European  models. 

About  1650,  when  Cromwell's  red-coats  were  gar- 
risoning fortresses  to  bridle  the  conquered  Cavaliers, 
a  Manchu  camp  was  planted  alongside  Hangchow  as  a 
sign  of  a  pledge  of  its  subjection,  and  till  our  own  days 
the  Tartar  troops  dwelt  there,  over,  but  not  of,  the 
Chinese.  The  new  Emperor,  K'ang  Hsi,  realised  the 
importance  of  Hangchow,  and  visited  it  four  or  five 
times,  causing  a  grand  palace  to  be  erected  on  an  island 
in  the  lake,  with  quarters  for  his  suite  and  elaborate  state 


14  CHANNELS  AND  ANNALS 

barges  for  processions.  One  minister,  however,  had  the 
courage  to  represent  that  these  state  progresses  were 
ruinous  to  the  exchequer,  and  calculated  that  every  inch 
traversed  cost  the  people  an  inch  of  silver ;  his  persistence 
won  the  day,  and  the  Emperor  contented  himself  with 
the  knowledge  he  had  gained. 

Seventy  years  later  there  was  an  Emperor,  Yung 
Cheng,  ^  who  ejected  the  Jesuits  because  he  found  that 
a  quarrel  between  two  sets  of  Catholic  missionaries  had 
led  to  a  foreign  Pope's  issuing  orders  which  deliberately 
contradicted  his  own  edict.  He  caused  tablets  to  be 
erected  forbidding  the  practice  of  their  religion,  and 
by  fierce  persecution  checked  its  spread.*  The  popular 
mind  saw  his  punishment  in  the  fact  that  he  was  childless, 
and  local  patriotism  declared  that  his  successor  was  no 
Manchu,  but  a  local  Chinese  foisted  on  him  as  a  baby. 
Certain  it  is  that  this  next  Emperor,  Ch'ien  Lung,  was 
most  attached  to  this  town  and  visited  it  six  times  before 
his  death,  in  1796.  It  was  towards  the  end  of  his  sixty 
years'  reign  that  a  British  embassy  under  Lord  Macart- 
ney, travelling  from  Peking  to  Canton  with  an  Imperial 
escort,  spent  several  days  here,  and  gave  to  the  English- 
speaking  world  an  inaccurate  description  of  the  place. 

The  whole  condition  of  the  city  was  altered  in  1861 
by  the  T'ai-p'ings.  These  people  had  risen  in  rebellion 
eleven  years  earlier,  disgusted  with  the  Manchu  tyranny 
and  incompetence,  and  welded  together  by  a  new 
religion,  which  incorporated  some  fragments  of  Chris- 
tian teaching  but  exalted  their  leader  as  a  Celestial  King 
and  Lord.  After  two  groundless  scares  these  Chinese 
patriots  really  did  capture  the  city,  but  failed  to  take 
the  Manchu  fortress  adjoining;  on  their  retirement  the 

•Yung  Cheng  was  the  son  and  immediate  successor  of  K'ang  Hsi, 
and  came  to  the  throne  in  1723. 

*  He  issued  an  edict  banishing  all  Roman  priests  to  Macao.  More  than 
three  hundred  Christian  churches  were  destroyed  at  this  time. 


mm^^m  »* 


WITH    MONEY   ▲   CHINAMAN    18   PROVD 


garrison  plundered  the  unfortunate  citizens.  A  second 
siege  resulted  in  the  capture  of  the  city  again,  the 
suicide  of  the  Manchu  army  by  forty-seven  great  explo- 
sions, and  the  occupation  by  the  T'ai-p'ings.  Their 
strange  worship,  their  heads  without  queues  but  with 
long  hair,  created  much  surprise,  and  their  compassion 
on  the  wretched  inhabitants  was  even  more  unexpected. 
As  the  tide  of  rebellion  receded,  Hangchow  made  the 
practical  acquaintance  of  the  white  race  once  again. 
The  treaties  of  the  Imperial  government  opened  the  way 
for  residents  here  and  for  Christian  missionaries.  The 
Lazarists  came  to  take  up  the  threads  dropped  by  the 
Jesuits  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  before,  while  Eng- 
lish and  Americans  entered  with  the  Bible  to  set  forth  a 
truer  Christianity  than  the  T'ai-p'ings  had  illustrated. 
Since  then  this  great  city  has  felt  newer  influences  work- 
ing upon  it,  and  in  this  century  the  changes  have  been 
rapid  beyond  all  past  experience. 

PART  II.— IF  CX)NFUCIUS  CAME  TO  HANG 

Pondering  over  this  contrast,  I  fell  to  thinking  what 
the  venerable  sage  Confucius  would  say  could  he  see 
the  state  of  things  twenty-four  centuries  after  his  death. 
In  my  musings  it  seemed  to  me  that  my  curiosity  was 
gratified,  and  that  I  was  privileged  to  escort  him  around 
tlie  city  of  Hangchow,  far  from  the  scene  of  his  former 
activity.  He  had  lived  a  life  of  little  or  no  pretension ; 
his  university  was  for  a  while  the  shade  of  a  tree,  and 
amongst  his  scholars  the  majority  could  be  said  to  be 
neither  bright  nor  prepossessing.  But  at  least  he  him- 
self consistently  throughout  life  put  character  as  the 
foundation  of  all  learning,  and  mere  intellectual  require- 
ments were  to  him  among  the  lesser  things  to  be  attained. 
His  was  one  of  the  mightiest  human  struggles  to  bring  a 


16  IF  CONFUCIUS  CAME  TO  HANG 

higher  ethical  ideal  to  a  human  race;  and  his  resuscita- 
tion from  the  dead  was  an  attempt  on  his  part  to  dis- 
cover to  what  extent  his  race  had  profited  or  failed  to 
profit  from  his  teaching. 

He  remarked  to  me  that  he  had  heard  there  were 
certain  ethical  societies  of  mushroom  growth  in  "  The 
States  "  and  in  Europe,  societies  whose  teaching  not  only- 
failed  to  surpass  his  own,  but  whose  experiments  in  an 
ethical  propaganda  were  insufficient  to  give  him  data  to 
form  final  conclusions  with  regard  to  the  all-sufficiency 
of  ethical  culture  in  the  West.  Hence,  though  free  to 
travel  within  any  of  the  ten  thousand  kingdoms  of  the 
earth,  he  had  concluded  that  the  land  of  his  birth  would 
render  the  best  evidence  as  to  the  efficacy  of  mere  ethical 
teaching  in  the  moral  and  intellectual  emancipation  of 
a  people. 

When  first  asked  for  his  impressions  of  Hangchow, 
he,  with  the  habitual  courtesy  of  the  Chinese  scholar, 
began  with  a  few  complimentary  remarks.  He  ad- 
mired the  energy  and  the  altruism  of  the  first  king 
of  Hangchow,  who,  with  his  minister,  constructed  the 
great  bank  at  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  thus  reclaiming 
thousands  of  acres  of  land  not  only  for  cultivation  but 
for  permanent  habitation  by  human  beings  in  city  life. 
He  admired  the  beauty  of  the  lake  with  its  ever-chang- 
ing shades  of  colour;  he  admired  the  imagination  and 
genius  that  could  turn  a  huge  desert  beach  into  a  land 
teeming  with  millions  of  population. 

The  first  thing  that  he  remarked  was  the  existence 
of  many  so-called  "modern"  schools,  built  by  the 
government  and  gentry.  He  was  surprised  to  learn 
that  in  many  of  these  not  only  are  food  and  clothing 
given  free  as  well  as  books,  but  that  money  prizes  are 
off*ered  every  month  to  the  boys  who  moderately  excel. 
"  Not  thus  was  it  in  my  days,"  said  the  teacher,  "  when 
men  came  to  me  under  the  shade  of  a  tree,  and  in  their 


BICHBS   LEAD  TO   VICE.   AND   POVERTY   TO   THEFT 

poverty  furnished  their  own  necessities."  He  had 
hoped  that  long  since  the  multitude  of  objects  in  clay, 
hideous  in  every  feature  and  more  ugly  than  anything 
to  be  found  in  nature  in  her  wildest  moods,  would  be 
neither  an  object  nor  a  medium  for  prostituting  men's 
conceptions  of  the  spiritual  beings  beyond.  He  said 
with  a  sigh,  "  I  had  never  denied  the  existence  of  the 
spirit  world,  but  I  had  plainly  insisted  upon  our  igno- 
rance of  such  things,  and  that  the  best  we  could  do  was 
to  speak  with  respect  of  such  things.  But  these  Buddh- 
ist priests  have  exceeded  the  highest  flights  of  a  wicked 
imagination;  they  have  not  only  given  us  a  world  of 
spirits,  but  have  imaged  them  in  these  temples  in  such 
a  way  as  to  make  man  more  brutish  and  depraved  with 
than  without  them.  The  other  day  I  saw  a  little  child 
suddenly  ushered  into  the  Lin  Yin  Monastery;  in  the 
presence  of  those  long  rows  of  gilded  lumps  of  clay  the 
child  looked  about  in  terror,  fell  over  on  the  ground  in 
fear,  and  had  to  be  carried  out  screaming  in  his  mother's 
arms.  The  masses  of  this  race  have  no  more  capacity 
than  the  heart  of  that  child.  The  initial  impression  pro- 
duced upon  him  was  indicative  of  the  abiding  impression 
produced  upon  my  race.  There  is  almost  none  of  rever- 
ence, absolutely  nothing  of  love,  and  almost  all  of  fear 
stamped  upon  the  deluded  throng,  that  come  either  to 
propitiate  for  calamities  or  to  purchase  some  material 
good. 

"  The  cry  of  that  child,"  he  continued,  "  remains  in 
my  ears,  and  is  but  an  echo  of  the  cry  of  millions  about 
me  as  they  beseech  or  protest  with  the  spirits  that  infest 
them  everywhere — spirits  potent  for  evil  or  for  good — 
without  reference  to  the  rule  of  one  Omniscient  All-lov- 
ing Power.  To  make  it  worse,  these  ignorant,  immoral 
priests,  living  openly  with  their  mistresses  and  yet  claim- 


18  IF  CONFUCIUS  CAME  TO  HANG 

ing  to  live  lives  of  self-denial,  using  every  opportunity 
to  extort  money  for  securing  bribes  for  the  gods  and 
yet  claiming  to  live  in  poverty,  presuming  on  the 
pockets  and  the  morality  of  their  pilgrim  guests  and 
yet  claiming  the  loss  of  all  earthly  desire  as  their  bull's- 
eye,  these  priests  are  leading  the  people  to  still  grosser 
conceptions  than  if  left  alone." 

Confucius  noticed  what  is  called  a  Taoist  temple. 
I  told  him  it  was  the  religion  of  his  old  contemporary, 
Lao  Chiin,  whom  he  once  met,^  and  with  whom 
he  talked  on  high  metaphysical  doctrines.  "  Then 
has  it  come  to  this?  What  are  these  hideous  creatures 
I  see  at  the  door?  No  such  ugliness  was  ever  wi*ought 
by  nature."  "  These  are  the  gods  of  the  spiritual 
world,"  I  told  him.  "  Taoism  ^  says  the  spiritual  world 
is  modelled  after  the  government  of  the  city  and  the 
nation."  Said  Confucius,  "  I  have  just  come  from  the 
spirit  world  and  saw  no  such  hideous  creatures.  Lao 
Chiin  knows  nothing  of  this."  I  told  him  that  they  say 
these  gods  rule  all  the  spirit  world.  When  a  person  has 
disease  or  calamity  of  any  kind,  people  think  it  is  an 
evil  spirit ;  they  send  for  a  Taoist  priest,  who  comes  and 
recites  prayers,  makes  incantations,  spreads  a  feast  on 
the  outside  of  the  house,  and  prays  the  spirit  to  go  away 
and  let  the  man  alone.  When  the  telegraph  poles  were 
first  erected,  the  Taoist  priests  gave  little  children  small 
bags  to  wear  at  the  lapels  of  their  suits  to  keep  off  the 
evil  spirits  the  telegraph  poles  attracted.  Confucius 
decided  to  enter  the  temple  and  there  saw  the  horrible 
representations  of  hell — ^men  being  pestled  in  mortars, 
others  sawn  asunder  by  slow  workmen,  still  others  being 
pitched  into  boiling  cauldrons,  others  trying  to  escape 

•  Some  scholars  think  the  meeting  is  an  invention  of  later  times. 
Lao  Tiu  was  born  more  than  fifty  years  before  Confucius. 

•Modem  Taoism,  with  which  Lao  Tzu  has  about  as  much  to  do  as 
Mohammed. 


WAST  TO   8E^'  BLACK-HBARTED  PEOPLE? 
LOOK   AT  TH08B   WHO   PRAT   TO  BCDDUA 

over  a  bridge  where  they  meet  deadly  poisonous  snakes, 
others  trying  to  climb  up  and  escape,  only  to  have  thun- 
derbolts hurled  at  them  by  the  monstrous  god  of 
thunder.  Confucius  said,  "  It  was  not  so  in  my  day." 
And  then  he  was  silent  and  thought,  and  the  longer  he 
thought  the  greater  grew  his  anger,  until  in  a  tempest- 
uous rage  he  cursed  the  men  who  had  dared  to  mutilate 
the  teachings  of  old  Lao  Chiin  and  turn  them  into  such 
ghastly  practices. 

As  we  strolled  along  Great  Street  together,  holding 
sad  discourse,  we  came  to  the  front  of  the  Moham- 
medan mosque.  "  What  strange  inscriptions  do  I  see, 
that  were  never  seen  in  my  day — those  snaky  char- 
acters? Let  us  enter  and  ask  their  meaning."  At  the 
door  a  keeper  met  us,  and  in  answer  to  our  request 
translated  the  words  above  us,  saying  with  quiet  earnest- 
ness, "  God  is  one  God  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet.'* 
Said  Confucius,  **  This  is  somewhat  of  an  advance  upon 
my  age.  Though  I  never  dogmatised  concerning  the 
spirits  of  the  air,  I  believed  in  one  Omnipotent  Ruler 
above,  who  spoke  to  the  hearts  of  men  and  moved  in 
my  heart  when  I  felt  most  truly  the  highest  moral  claims 
of  life.     I  see  no  idols  here." 

At  last,  about  4  a.m.,  we  came  to  a  large  building 
erected  to  the  memory  of  Confucius.  A  smile  played 
over  the  face  of  the  sage,  for  it  gratified  him  to  think 
that  throughout  twenty-four  centuries  his  name  and 
teachings  had  been  remembered  so  far  from  his  home. 
When  I  told  him  that  in  every  other  large  city  of  China 
a  similar  monument  stood  to  his  memory,  tears  of  joy 
came  to  his  eyes,  and  He  said,  "  There  is  at  least  some 
salt  in  this  earth." 

Alas  that  he  should  identify  reverence  for  himself 
with  reverence  for  his  teadiing!    For  when  he  entered 


20  IF  CONFUCIUS  CAME  TO  HANG 

the  Hall,  he  saw  a  large  group  of  officials  in  their  robes 
of  state  calling  him  great  and  holy  and  exalted  above 
all,  placed  even  on  an  equal  rank  with  Heaven  itself. 
He  heard  prayers  offered  to  him,  thanks  rendered  to 
him,  and  at  one  side  he  saw  a  di'essed  cow  and  sheep 
slain  and  offered  to  him.  With  a  face  deathly  pale 
he  turned  and  said  to  me,  "  Is  this  place  a  mere  monu- 
ment to  my  memory,  or  are  these  prayers  and  sacrifices 
offered  to  me  in  worship?"  I  told  him  that  though 
blessings  were  not  sought  from  him  as  from  God  him- 
self, yet  these  sacrifices  were  offered  to  him  as  to  one 
who  heard  and  answered,  as  to  one  who  was  high  and 
holy,  the  ultimate  realisation  of  human  and  spiritual 
excellence.  With  these  words  the  last  smile  faded 
from  his  face.  He  pushed  through  the  encircling  crowd, 
threw  up  his  hands,  and  cried,  "  It  must  not  be ! "  A 
look  of  unutterable  pain  came  over  him,  and  he  fell 
forward  in  a  dead  faint  over  the  prostrate  form  of  the 
governor,  who  was  then  master  of  ceremonies  and  was 
leading  in  prayer.  Before  one  of  these  lofty  Celestials 
could  identify  the  actual  features  and  form  of  Con- 
fucius, I  had  borne  his  wasted  frame  in  my  strong  arms 
to  the  only  place  in  Hangchow  where  there  was  skill 
sufficient  to  resuscitate  a  spirit  that  had  lain  dormant 
for  twenty-four  centuries. 

The  lantern  above  the  gate  was  burning  out  its  last 
drop  of  oil  when  I  knocked  at  the  hospital  entrance.  I 
demanded  instant  admittance,  and  the  keeper  within, 
with  a  lazy  drone,  told  me  the  hour  was  too  unseasonable. 
"  For  Confucius'  sake  let  me  get  in! "  Whereupon 
he  fumbled  at  the  bolts  and  lock,  wondering  what 
apparition  might  appear ;  when  he  saw  Confucius  in  my 
arms,  he  too  fell  back  in  mortal  fear.  A  good,  red- 
haired  Irishman  came  hurriedly  out.  I  rushed  into  the 
open  court-yard  and  called  aloud  for  help.     Presently 


A  BULLY  nOKS   NOT   OWB   DRBT8  I 

two  foreign  doctors  in  their  long  night-robes,  with 
anaesthetics  and  medicine-cases,  and  a  crowd  of  twenty 
Chinese  students  at  their  heels,  all  came  to  my  relief  and 
assistance.  When  they  learned  that  Confucius  had 
come,  one  of  the  doctors  took  him  to  the  best  bedroom 
of  the  hospital.  He  and  a  few  pupils  worked  his  chest, 
gave  him  stimulants,  and  after  hours  of  work  the  lids 
opened  the  second  time  in  twenty-four  centuries.  Con- 
fucius remained  long  in  this  state,  and  was  occasionally 
allowed  to  sit  up  in  his  chair  and  to  walk  through  the 
buildings  and  grounds.  He  heard  a  message  that  was 
preached  to  the  poor ;  he  saw  opening  of  the  eyes  of  the 
blind.  He  saw  the  lame  walk  and  lepers  cared  for. 
In  an  asylum  he  saw  the  motherless  sheltered;  and 
he  saw  young  men  taught  the  hope  of  China,  taught 
medicine  and  surgery  in  order  to  spread  this  healing  to 
others.  He  saw  women  who  came  to  the  women's  ward 
to  give  birth  to  infants  under  the  only  conditions  in  that 
great  city  that  made  childbirth  for  the  poor  safe,  with 
surroundings  of  comfort  and  loving  service.  He  saw 
men  who  had  taken  opium  in  order  to  escape  the  sorrows 
of  this  life  walked  up  and  down  a  greensward  until 
certain  remedies  took  effect,  and  then  not  only  was  their 
appetite  for  opium  broken,  but  they  were  given  a  new 
appetite  stronger  than  the  old  for  the  same  kind  of 
things  for  which  the  sage  had  yearned.  He  saw  men 
daily,  with  foreign  doctors  in  charge,  assemble  for 
prayer  to  the  Supreme  Spirit,  one  who  was  God  and 
Father  of  all  living. 

And  after  many  days  he  said  within  himself:  "  I 
once  said  that  within  the  four  seas  all  are  brethren,  but 
its  realisation  I  have  for  the  first  time  seen :  East  and 
West,  rich  and  poor,  scholar  and  farmer,  coolie  and 
merchant,  working  together  in  the  service  of  healing 


22  IF  CONFUCIUS  CAME  TO  HANG 

and  in  the  rectification  of  men's  hearts  and  lives.  I 
have  found  out  that  the  great  motive  force  that  pro- 
duces all  these  marvellous  results  is  a  life  rather  than 
a  teaching,  is  a  person  who  works  and  lives  to-day  rather 
than  an  ideal,  is  something  concrete,  both  human  and 
divine,  rather  than  an  ethical  conception,  is  a  living 
present  force  rather  than  a  historical  idea. 

"  The  One  whose  love  commands  this  service  must 
be  one  of  whom  Mencius  spoke  when  he  discoursed  with 
me  in  the  spiritual  world.  He  told  me  that  when  on 
earth  he  had  a  vision  of  one  whom  God  was  yet  to  use, 
and  he  recorded  his  definition  of  such  a  man  in  writing 
and  gave  it  to  his  race.  *  Heaven  will  bring  a  great 
honour  upon  this  man.  But  he  will  first  bring  bitter- 
ness to  his  heart,  will  bring  labour  to  his  bone  and  sinew, 
will  bring  hunger  to  his  frame,  will  bring  want  to  his 
body,  will  bring  confusion  to  what  he  does;  and  thus 
will  move  his  heart,  will  make  enduring  his  nature,  and 
increase  and  prosper  that  which  he  himself  is  unable  to 
do.'  I  stood  in  my  home  or  in  the  shade  of  that  tree 
with  scholars  at  my  feet,  discoursing  on  the  idea  of 
the  Princely  Man;  I  kept  aloof  from  the  masses,  and 
tried  to  rule  them  from  above ;  while  He  of  whom  Men- 
cius seems  to  have  spoken  went  out  into  the  by-ways  and 
hedges  to  compel  men  to  come.  He  had  not  where  to 
lay  His  head,  and  mingled  not  only  with  rulers  but 
mingled  to  such  an  extent  with  the  outcasts  that  He 
himself  was  nicknamed  the  gluttonous  man  and  wine- 
bibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.  I  came  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  He,  sinners,  to  repentance;  I 
came  with  my  healing  to  those  who  had  no  need  of 
a  physician,  but  He  to  those  who  were  sick;  and 
hence  the  needs  of  humanity  I  failed  to  meet,  whereas 
He  has  succeeded." 


m^n^  «» 


PLAY    MUSIC   IN    FRONT    OF   A   COW 


PART  III.— HANG:   THE  CITY 


For  the  Hang  of  to-day,  there  are,  as  for  Caesar's 
Gaul,  three  parts:  the  City,  the  Governor,  the  People. 

The  City  of  Hang  is  two  and  three-quarters  miles 
from  south  to  north,  one  and  one-half  miles  wide  at  the 
north,  and  a  mile  at  the  south.  Canals  intersect  the 
city,  and  the  famous  artificial  lake  washes  the  centre 
third  of  the  western  wall.  Government  offices  and 
schools  are  dotted  all  about,  but  most  of  the  lake  front- 
age is  taken  up  by  the  Manchu  Camp,  which  reaches 
half  a  mile  back  into  the  main  city. 

The  water-ways  are  prominent.  Five  of  the  gates 
refer  to  them:  Crystal  Wave,  Waiting  for  the  Tide, 
River  View,  Ch'ien's  Dyke,  Bubbling  Gold.  The 
canals  are  used  for  traffic  as  freely  as  in  Holland,  but, 
instead  of  draining  the  land  as  in  that  remarkable  coun- 
try, they  supply  water  for  irrigation.  Nor  are  they 
used  as  sewers,  as  the  farmers  have  far  too  high  a  sense 
of  the  value  of  manure,  and  are  glad  to  keep  the  canals 
dredged  to  obtain  fertilisers  for  their  fields.  Bathing  is 
not  much  practised,  but  rice  for  dinner  and  clothes  for 
wear  are  being  constantly  washed  in  the  water.  Of 
course  this  enriches  the  water,  and  the  natives  appre- 
ciate the  quantity  of  solid  matter  quite  as  much  as 
on  the  Mississippi,  where  a  pint  provides  both  drink 
and  food.  The  Chinese  much  prefer  this  to  rain- 
water, but  are  divided  in  opinion  as  to  the  superiority  of 
the  canal  or  the  lake,  which  latter  is  supplied  with  the 
ashes  of  incense  from  the  numerous  temples.  The 
canals  furnish  also  abundant  fish,  and  the  nuts  that 
float  down  the  surface  provide  afternoon  tea.  Locks 
are  not  known,  and  when  it  is  needful  to  transfer  from 
one  level  to  another,  mud-slides  are  used.  In  the  coun- 
try  water-buffaloes    are    seen   grinding    the   mills — 


«4  HANG:  THE  CITY 

strange,  sad  animals.  In  the  city  many  beautiful  stone 
bridges  span  the  waters;  strange  superstitions  cluster 
round  them,  no  women  being  allowed  to  cross  when 
a  boat  is  beneath,  and  no  one  being  allowed  to  speak 
when  passing  under  certain  Dumb  Bridges. 

If  we  think  that  the  water-ways  are  the  great  sight 
of  the  city,  the  citizens  think  they  have  seven  show- 
pieces: fans,  foreigners,  face-powder,  scissors,  silk, 
medicine,  and  children.  Undoubtedly  the  children  are 
much  in  evidence;  we  will  gratify  the  Chinese  taste  by 
attending  to  them.  There  is  no  race-suicide  here ;  even 
a  laddie  of  six  replied  to  the  query,  "  What  do  you  most 
want  to  do  when  you  are  grown  up?"  by  the  ready 
answer,  "  Marry  a  wife  and  have  a  son."  Religion 
supports  this,  as  in  India,  for  ancestor-worship  is  deeply 
ingrained,  and  if  you  have  no  children  who  will  worship 
you?  A  child  may  rejoice  in  four  names  at  various 
stages  of  his  life,  his  pet  name  at  home,  his  school  name, 
his  business  style,  his  official  title;  much  as  an  English 
lad  is  Tommy  in  the  nursery,  Jones  at  school,  Messrs. 
Jones  &  Co.  in  the  directory.  Baron  de  Jonghs  in 
"  Who's  Who." 

While  the  Chinese  Tommy  is  still  in  his  nurse's  arms, 
he  has  a  pinch  of  mug- wort  put  on  his  head  and  fired, 
so  that  a  bald  spot  is  produced;  this  is  not  hygienic, 
like  vaccination,  but  superstitious.  In  a  month  his  little 
pate  is  shaven,  and  a  feast  is  held;  presently  a  little  cap 
is  put  on,  probably  decked  with  idols,  and  a  locket  is 
hung  round  his  neck  for  luck.  As  Tommy  learns  to 
talk  he  learns  baby  rhymes;  when  put  into  his  little 
sedan,  answering  to  our  perambulator  or  go-cart,  they 
sing  to  him: 

"  First  you  laugh  and  then  you  cry; 

Three  little  yellow  dogs  come  to  carry  your  chair." 


CHANGB  TOUR  OLD  NATURE  OR  YOU'LL  BK  OP  A  TREE 

In  the  nursery  they  tell  him  of  the  old  woman 
in  the  moon/  or  teach  him  baby  games :  two  forefingers 
put  together  represent  two  birdies  kissing;  they  knock 
their  bills,  they  fly,  the  big  birdies  fly  while  the  little 
birdies  keep  the  house,  fly  to  the  high  hills  to  eat  white 
rice — ^and  the  last  clause  is  drawled  out  as  the  arms 
widen  and  widen. 

Tommy  goes  to  school  and  becomes  Jones.  He 
is  taught  how  to  worship,  bowing  to  the  idols ;  at  school 
he  is  told  how  the  fox,  that  emblem  of  cunning,  is  his 
tutelary  deity,  to  help  him  learn  and  especially  to  help 
him  pass  his  examinations.  In  real  life  he  has  probably 
seen  many  shocking  sights,  and  though  the  publication 
of  indecent  native  pictures  is  prevented,  obscene  foreign 
pictures  are  now  corrupting  his  mind.  But  as  he  learns 
to  read  he  is  able  to  turn  to  the  cheap  book-stalls  all 
about  the  city,  and  unfortunately  these  teem  with 
demoralising  books.  So  at  ten  years  of  age  he  is 
separated  from  his  girl  playmates,  to  see  no  female  face 
till  he  is  engaged,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  a  plan  which 
preserves  outward  chastity  though  it  cannot  eradicate 
the  inward  evil.  However,  in  the  school-boy  stage  his 
animal  passions  find  more  innocent  gratification  in 
unlimited  green  plums,  peanuts,  and  rich  cakes. 

How  about  the  girls?  Until  lately  no  one  cared 
very  much  about  them,^  but  things  are  now  marvellously 
changing.  There  was  a  lady  interested  in  the  Tatar 
girls,  who  founded  a  school  here  to  instruct  them  in 
virtue  and  learning,  but  her  efforts  were  not  adequately 
seconded,  and  she  sought  to  excite  interest  by  com- 

'  Ch'ang  O,  the  wife  of  Hou  I,  is  said  to  have  stolen  from  her  husband 
the  drug  of  immortality  and  to  have  fled  with  it  to  the  moon,  where  she 
was  changed  into  a  toad.  This  toad  is  believed  to  swallow  the  moon 
during  the  eclipse. 

*  Girls  are  by  no  means  despised  in  China  to  the  extent  that  foreigners 
believe.     One  has  only  to  read  an  ordinary  Chinese  novel  to  see  this. 


%6  HANG:  THE  CITY 

mitting  suicide  and  leaving  a  public  appeal.  After  two 
attempts  to  poison  herself  with  opium  she  succeeded,  and 
her  dying  will,  signed  with  her  blood,  had  a  wide  circula- 
tion, resulting  in  funds  being  raised  to  build  two  com- 
modious houses.     It  ran  thus: 

'*  All  my  pupils  take  notice : 

"  In  my  humble  efforts  to  found  this  school 
there  was  no  little  difficulty.  Knowing  that  I  had 
no  strength  or  ability  in  myself,  my  first  idea  was 
to  stir  up  people  who  did  have  ability,  such  as 
Lady  San,  Lady  Feng,  and  two  old  ladies  named 
Po  and  Tso,  thinking  that  they  would  warmly 
advocate  my  pro j  ect.  To  my  surprise  and  chagrin, 
they  despised  my  project,  and  said  that  I  was  too 
fond  of  looking  after  things  that  did  not  con- 
cern me. 

"Alas!  this  was  not  in  my  mind  at  all,  but 
in  reality  because  I  recognise  the  present  time  as 
one  of  change  and  reform.  You  all  see  how  the 
Chinese  are  reviving  in  educational  matters;  in  a 
few  years  everything  will  be  different.  You  do 
not  believe  it;  I  do  believe  it.  Five  or  six  years 
ago  it  was  thus,  and  now  it  is  the  same  way.  Now 
I  am  going  to  use  my  death  to  obtain  the  means  for 
carrying  on  this  school,  so  that  you  may  always 
have  a  place  to  study.  May  you  always  cherish 
and  practise  the  four  virtues,  fidelity,  filial  piety, 
chastity,  and  uprightness;  then  will  you  be  of  use 
in  the  world!  Although  I  am  going  to  take  my 
life,  it  will  not  be  cutting  it  short.  It  is  only  the 
old-time  custom  handed  to  posterity  of  offering 
one's  self  as  a  sacrifice,  in  order  to  bring  about  and 
make  sure  of  this  reform.  For  instance,  when  we 
are  sick  we  pray  to  the  gods  for  protection.  After 
our  disease  is  cured  we  buy  incense  and  candles 
to  pay  our  vows.     Now  this  school  will  be  like  a 


i«7f«:«fl^*ia  « 


A   TIOBR   WHO    HAS   BWALLOWKD   AR8RNI0 


person  whose  disease  is  cured.  This  vow  must 
certainly  be  paid.  This  girl's  school  is  like  a  sick 
person. 

"  Begging  for  the  means  to  carry  it  out  is 
like  getting  a  medical  prescription.  When  this  is 
obtained  the  disease  is  cured.  In  the  eighth  moon 
I  am  going  to  die,  because  the  means  for  carrying 
on  this  school  are  not  assured.  I  have  no  money 
with  which  to  invite  teachers.  I  could  only  deceive 
them  for  a  short  time  with  promises  to  pay.  For 
all  my  faults  I  beg  your  pardon,  hoping  that  you 
will  forgive  me,  and  not  treasure  them  up  against 
me.  But  though  I  die  I  am  as  one  who  lives. 
You  must  not  weep  for  me.  Only  listen  to  what 
I  say.  Hereafter  be  very  obedient  to  your  teachers 
and  heed  their  instructions,  which  will  be  of  great 
benefit  to  you.  Be  courteous  to  outsiders,  and  do 
not  quarrel  among  yourselves  so  that  outsiders 
will  make  fun  of  you.  My  words  are  many  but 
my  heart  is  very  sore.     This  is  all  I  have  to  say." 

Women  are  aiming  at  improving  their  condition  in 
other  directions;  a  certain  woman  was  recently  trying 
for  women's  rights  in  some  manner  I  could  not  exactly 
ascertain.  In  China  there  are  so  many  women  that 
they  do  not  spare  much  time  on  soothing  one.  Here 
is  an  extract  from  an  official  Extra: 

"  At  three  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth 
day,  Tsin-yin  was  beheaded.  She  was  led  to  the  execu- 
tion ground  under  the  guard  of  the  major  of  the  San-in 
district,  with  the  drilled  soldiers  of  the  provincial  capital 
and  the  local  police.  At  the  time  of  her  execution  she 
wore  an  inner  vest  of  white,  with  upper  garment  and 
trousers  of  black  gauze ;  on  her  feet  were  foreign  shoes. 
Her  hands  were  pinioned  behind  her  back  with  iron 
handcuifs  and  chains.    As  she  came  from  the  prison 


28  HANG:  THE  CITY 

and  crossed  the  street  she  was  led  by  a  soldier  holding  an 
iron  chain,  and  several  people  coming  behind  pushed 
her  rudely.  Having  reached  the  grounds  she  knelt 
down,  looked  round,  and  suffered  the  penalty.  Early 
next  day  a  coffin  was  brought,  and  she  was  placed  in  it." 

Western  sentiment  seems  to  have  touched  the  editor, 
or  why  detail  exactly  her  costume?  The  beheading  of 
a  woman  made  a  great  sensation,  and  she  was  presently 
given  an  honourable  burial  beside  the  lake.  Perhaps 
her  cause  will  be  well  advertised  by  her  sacrifice.  That 
would  be  quite  in  accord  with  popular  belief;  and  it 
expresses  itself  in  other  curious  customs,  such  as  punish- 
ment by  proxy,  and  vicarious  treatment  of  lunacy. 

The  old  Buddhist  religion  no  longer  holds  the  people, 
though  after  the  T'ai-p'ing  destruction  of  temples  many 
were  rebuilt.  On  all  sides  are  to  be  heard  tales  of  the 
laziness  and  immorality  of  the  monks.  One  has  become 
classic,  and  found  its  way  into  the  standard  guide  when 
referring  to  the  Lin  Yin  Monastery.  A  monk  thence 
went  to  the  street  where  food,  candles,  and  incense  were 
sold,  bought  some  rouge,  fruit,  and  cakes,  and,  catch- 
ing the  eye  of  a  beautiful  lady  at  a  window,  held  them 
up  meaningly  to  her.  She  told  her  husband  and  they 
schemed  together;  she  let  the  monk  have  some  en- 
couragement, but  told  him  her  husband  was  generally 
about  the  premises.  So  the  monk  began  to  frequent  the 
shop,  and  considerably  improved  its  trade.  At  last  she 
told  him  when  the  husband  would  be  going  on  a  business 
journey,  and  gave  him  an  assignation.  She  set  before 
him  wine  and  good  dishes,  then  sent  him  to  her  room 
to  prepare.  Just  when  he  had  removed  all  his  clothes 
there  came  a  knock  at  the  door;  the  husband  had 
returned  to  get  something!  She  told  the  monk  to  get 
into  a  box  and  keep  quiet;  then  she  locked  the  box 
and  left  it  till  morning,  when  they  had  it  carried  as  it 

} 


M  ii' r^  ^  nk  ^  m  ^» 

AM  AYARICIons  HEART  IS  LIKE  A  SKAKS  TBTIMG  TO  SWALLOW  AK 
ELEPHANT 

was  to  the  magistrate.  He  advised  that  as  it  was  their 
box  they  should  throw  it  into  the  river  and  end  the 
affair  happily. 

Now  those  tales  relate  to  conditions  quite  eight  cen- 
turies ago,  but  the  people  generally  think  that  the  moral 
tone  of  the  religious  houses  is  little  better  to-day.  More 
than  once  there  have  been  popular  uprisings,  such  as 
Spain  witnessed  at  Barcelona  in  1909.  More  than  once 
the  Emperor  has  decreed  the  closing  of  all  monasteries 
and  nunneries,  on  the  ground  that  it  is  unnatural  for 
men  and  women  to  live  celibate  lives.  "  The  sum  of 
the  whole  is,  these  dissolute  monks  of  Buddha  are  lazy ; 
they  will  neither  work  in  the  fields  nor  traffic  in  the 
markets ;  and  being  without  food  or  clothing,  they  busily 
invent  means  of  deceiving  the  people."  And  this  they 
successfully  do.  The  people  believe  that  in  the  idol- 
houses  where  pilgrims  stay  there  are  unmentionable 
practices  every  night,  fostered  by  the  monks.  And 
they  point  to  the  fact  that  often  a  nunnery  is  to  be 
seen  hard  by  the  monastery.  Where  there  is  no  work, 
gambling,  drinking,  and  opium-smoking  are  largely 
indulged  in.  Proverbs  such  as  "  If  you  would  find  a 
man  of  black  heart,  look  among  the  monks,"  indicate 
the  popular  esteem  in  which  they  are  held. 

It  is  a  reasonable  question  how  the  monks  revived 
here  after  the  wholesale  clearance  by  the  T'ai-p'ings, 
if  they  were  in  such  odium.  Before  Christian  monks 
could  regain  their  footing  in  lands  whence  the  Refor- 
mation had  expelled  them,  they  were  severely  reformed 
in  morals.  But  that  is  not  the  case  with  these  Buddhist 
monks.  And  the  best  answer  seems  to  be  that  whereas 
the  official  Confucianism  is  severely  agnostic  as  to  a 
future  life,  the  Buddhists  have  departed  from  the 
similar  agnosticism  of  their  founder,  and  not  only  have 


30  HANG:   THE  CITY 

a  very  definite  and  elaborate  doctrine  of  hell  and  heaven 
but  pander  to  all  the  superstitions  of  the  people.  The 
Buddha  enlisted  his  followers  as  monks  to  save  them- 
selves; the  Chinese  monks  have  become  priests  to  act 
on  behalf  of  others.  The  Buddha's  monks  led  wander- 
ing lives,  and  met  together  for  mutual  confession  and 
exhortation;  the  Chinese  Buddhists  erect  beautiful 
homes  and  temples,  where  they  conduct  worship  before 
idols  for  the  benefit  (spiritual)  of  the  people  and  (finan- 
cial) of  themselves.  The  Buddha's  monks  gathered 
up  the  teaching  of  their  founder  and  his  great  followers 
in  a  short  canon  which  they  intelligently  studied  and 
sought  to  follow;  the  Chinese  Buddhists  have  a  much 
longer  canon,  which  they  have  written  out  in  Chinese 
characters  without  translation,  and  portions  of  which 
they  recite  as  a  sort  of  Abracadabra,  utterly  unintelli- 
gible both  to  their  hearers  and  themselves.  To  hire 
another  man  to  worship  for  you,  according  to  a  foreign 
ritual  comprehended  by  no  one,  in  a  bad  pronunciation 
of  a  foreign  tongue  now  obsolete  even  in  its  original 
home,  with  customs  explicitly  forbidden  by  the  founder 
of  the  religion,  the  priest  himself  perpetually  violating 
them  both  in  his  methods  and  in  his  very  existence — 
all  this  seems  absurd,  but  is  too  true,  in  China  and 
Europe. 

How  this  works  out  with  the  common  people  may 
be  easily  guessed.  The  monks  take  contracts  to  have 
so  many  prayers  said  in  the  unknown  tongue  for  the 
merit  of  the  purchaser.  They  are  too  lazy  themselves, 
and  perhaps  have  not  heard  of  their  Tibetan  brothers' 
plan  of  setting  a  waterwheel  to  grind  out  the  prayers. 
They  sublet  the  contract  at  lower  rates  to  old  ladies 
past  work,  who  as  a  guarantee  of  good  faith  assemble 
in  little  groups  around  a  table  in  the  open  street,  and 
there  pray  aloud  all  day  for  ten  cents  and  their  rice. 
The  difference  between  their  price  and  the  monks'  price 


A   HOHAUMKDAN    EATING   fOtiK   AWD   DINYINO    HIS   FAITH 

goes  far  to  support  the  thousand  temples,  large  and 
small,  that  have  arisen  since  the  T'ai-p'ings  left  only- 
one  standing.  This  sounds  quite  as  if  we  were  reading 
of  the  Quebec  province  in  Canada.  We  wonder  why 
the  purchasers  do  not  deal  direct  with  the  old  ladies 
and  cut  out  the  middle-men.  There  are  some  cere- 
monies which  they  themselves  take  part  in:  as  an  instance, 
the  Day  of  Release-life.  In  practice  this  amounts  to 
a  picnic  on  the  lake,  when  beggars  bring  snakes  for  sale 
and  the  rich  let  them  escape  so  as  to  earn  merit ;  naturally 
the  same  snakes  do  duty  several  times  over. 

Since  the  T'ai-p'ings,  two  waves  of  Western  influ- 
ence have  reached  Hangchow,  missions  and  education. 
There  are  some  six  Protestant  missions  at  work  here 
now,  chiefly  from  America  and  Britain,  and  for  thirty 
years  they  alone  were  the  mediums  of  Western  ideas. 
But  in  the  last  twelve  years  there  has  been  a  marvellous 
alteration,  due  to  the  impact  of  foreign  ideas  on  the 
Peking  authorities  and  their  decision  to  alter  the  whole 
educational  system  and  appropriate  whatever  is  best  in 
Western  methods.  The  old  plan  of  competitive  exam- 
inations in  the  Chinese  classics  is  at  an  end;  young  men 
who  had  spent  ten  or  twelve  years  cramming  for  their 
"  Hsiu-ts'ai,"  or  Bachelor  of  Arts  degree,  find  that  that 
degree  is  no  longer  given  and  that  Bachelors  of  Science 
are  more  in  demand.  The  old  Examination  Hall  is 
pulled  down,  and  a  new  group  of  public  buildings  has 
arisen  on  its  site,  of  which  I  have  more  to  say.  Students 
now  turn  to  learn  English,  political  economy  and  his- 
tory, physical  science,  medicine,  tactics  and  the  art  of 
war,  the  science  of  gunnery,  etc. — everything  Western 
except  religion.  [To  this  they  are  not  actively  averse, 
but  they  seem  likely  to  discard  even  the  semblance  of 
respect  for  the  morality  of  Confucius — ^yet  to  be  attrac- 


32  THE  GOVERNOR 

ted  to  nothing  which  may  replace  it.]  The  new  buildings 
which  arise,  Western  architecture  as  recast  by  Chinese, 
are  grotesque  enough  to  our  eyes,  as  doubtless  to  theirs, 
but  what  of  the  architecture  of  life  and  morals?  They 
are  clearing  the  ground  of  what  they  no  longer  esteem, 
but  wherewith  shall  it  be  covered  afresh? 

PART  IV.— THE  GOVERNOR 

As  some  contribution  toward  answermg  the  ques- 
tion, let  me  relate  my  striking  experience  with  the 
Governor  of  the  province  of  Chekiang,  a  Mongol  from 
Peking,  the  only  one  of  his  race  occupying  such  a  post. 
I  had  the  good  fortune  to  obtain  suitable  introductions 
from  Washington,  and  in  consequence  I  was  received 
in  audience,  was  the  only  Westerner  to  see  the  opening 
of  Parliament,  and  had  the  honour  of  an  official  visit 
at  my  host's  house,  in  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sion compound. 

An  appointment  was  given  for  ten  in  the  morning, 
and  an  official  chair  of  state  was  sent  from  the  palace 
to  add  dignity  to  the  procession.  The  great  doors  were 
thrown  open,  and  we  alighted  at  the  inner  large  gate, 
where  the  Governor's  secretary  and  an  official  inter- 
preter awaited.  At  the  next  door  the  Governor  him- 
self received  us,  and  led  us  into  the  state  reception 
room,  where  a  foreign  table  was  set  out  with  both 
foreign  and  Eastern  food.  Here  he  affably  showed 
us  to  seats,  according  to  our  Western  etiquette.  After 
the  preliminary  greetings,  in  which  I  inquired,  as  was 
courteous,  and  learned  that  he  was  forty-nine  years  old, 
we  exchanged  experiences. 

I  told  him  something  of  my  travels,  and  as  a  Mongol 
he  was  much  interested  in  hearing  of  my  journey  along 
the  Great  Wall  from  end  to  end,  deigning  to  accept 
a  copy  of  the  new  book.  In  other  lands  he  was  struck 
by  the  story  of  the  Pigmies  I  found  in  the  Forest  of 


TOD  CAN   CKDSU    PKOFLB   WITH  THE   WEIGHT   OF   THB   TOMOOE 

the  Eternal  Twilight  in  mid-Africa.  He  was  com- 
plimented on  the  excellent  police  of  the  city  and  the 
beauties  of  the  region,  but  waved  away  any  personal 
merit  for  either.  Condoling  with  him  on  the  disap- 
pearance of  ancient  buildings,  and  expressing  a  hope 
that  he  would  use  his  influence  to  preserve  the  old  pago- 
das, I  asked  if  he  could  direct  me  to  any  interesting 
remains  of  former  dynasties.  He  regretted  that  every 
few  centuries  some  great  rebellion  had  swept  away  many 
traces,  and  that  here  only  forty-five  years  ago  the  T'ai- 
p'ings  had  wrought  tremendous  havoc.  Appealing  for 
information  as  to  old  histories,  records,  and  maps,  I  had 
the  gratifying  promise  that  the  libraries  should  be 
searched  for  me;  and  many  of  the  preceding  pages 
are  thus  due  to  his  kindness.  Then  we  turned  to 
education,  and  he  admitted  that  so  far  the  results  were 
mediocre,  as  there  was  no  thorough  system  of  co-ordi- 
nation and  grading,  such  as  had  obtained  to  some  extent 
under  the  old  system.  Recollecting  that  for  the  last 
few  weeks  the  Governor  had  been  accompanying  the 
brother  of  the  Prince  Regent  along  the  coast  to  select 
a  naval  base,  I  put  the  leading  question  what  he  con- 
sidered the  chief  need  of  the  nation.  His  response 
is  interesting:  "  First,  I  think  that  all  the  people  should 
learn  to  read,  and  second,  that  all  should  learn  to  get 
their  living;  these  two  things  are  most  important." 
Note,  not  self -protection  and  a  navy,  not  religion,  but 
good,  plain,  medium  aspirations.  I  told  him  how, 
years  before,  I  had  met  Tuan  Fang,  who  had  said  that 
China  needed  a  new  spirit,  and  how  in  my  recent 
travels  I  had  found  this  emerging.  "  Yes,"  said  the 
Governor,  "  and  the  more  they  read  the  more  intelli- 
gent will  they  become,  thus  getting  this  new  spirit.  To 
this  end  I  also  work ;  but  without  intelligence  the  people 


34  THE  GOVERNOR 

will  never  get  it."  He  told  me  that  a  higher  class 
of  young  men  was  now  going  to  America  to  study,  so 
that  the  way  was  open  to  offer  good  services  if  his 
son  should  be  sent  out.  He  enquired  what  would  be 
oiu"  course  should  a  competition  arise  for  China  with 
any  foreign  power.  I  told  him  that  I  myself  wished 
China  well,  and  thought  I  represented  the  average 
American  opinion;  America  could  be  looked  upon  as 
China's  friend,  and  her  influence  would  always  be 
exerted  in  the  best  interests  of  his  land.  Hereupon 
he  shook  hands  with  himself.  Speaking  of  missionary 
efforts,  the  Governor  had  no  objection  to  their  exhort- 
ing the  people,  but  he  thought  the  religion  they  taught 
had  not  yet  struck  deeply  enough  to  count  for  much 
in  cementing  the  two  nations. 

During  our  conversation  it  came  out  that  on  the 
morrow  he  was  to  open  the  first  Parliament  that  had 
ever  been  summoned  for  the  province  of  Chekiang; 
yet  on  the  eve  of  this  great  development  he  was  sparing 
me  an  hour  and  a  half  of  his  valuable  time  I  More 
than  that,  he  promised  to  send  me  tickets  of  admission. 
At  the  close  of  the  audience  he  came  out  to  my  chair, 
showing  every  courtesy. 

As  I  was  borne  homeward  through  this  historic  city, 
reclaimed  from  a  watery  waste,  the  home  of  an 
Emperor  and  of  many  great  scholars,  rich  in  learning 
and  libraries,  famous  for  its  craftsmen,  a  city  about 
which  volumes  have  been  written,  I  felt  on  the  eve 
of  a  change.  All  around  me  showed  the  end  of  one  epoch 
and  the  opening  of  another.  This  city,  once  the 
terminus  of  the  Grand  Canal,  was  now  the  terminus  of 
a  railway.  But  far  beyond  the  outward  material 
advance  was  the  thought  that  on  Thursday,  October 
14,  190&,  a  Parliament  of  the  people  was  to  meet  to 
express  the  desires  of  the  populace;  the  rule  of  the 


PBAOE    IN    A    THATCHKU    IIDT,— THAT    IS    HAPPINESS. 

scholars,  the  brute  force  of  the  Manchu  Tatars,  were 
henceforth  to  be  modified  by  the  hopes  and  wishes  of 
the  democracy. 

Next  day  I  availed  myself  of  the  privilege,  and 
found  myself  and  my  two  hosts,  Dr.  and  Prof.  Stuart, 
the  only  Westerners  spectators  of  this  unique  ceremony. 
As  the  permanent  House  of  Assembly  was  not  com- 
pleted, the  audience-chamber  of  the  Normal  School  was 
used,  decorated  with  flags  showing  the  dragon  in  yellow 
and  red  and  with  the  Imperial  flag.  Wc  were  ushered 
in  by  uniformed  men  armed  with  long  swords,  and 
were  given  the  centre  seats  in  the  chief  gallery,  exactly 
opposite  the  Imperial  edict  and  the  Speaker. 

At  9.30  A.M.  the  Governor  appeared,  the  delegates 
rising  to  receive  him,  and  the  temporary  Speaker  then 
calling  this  first  Parliament  to  order.  When  the 
Governor  stepped  to  the  front  with  the  yellow  roll  indi- 
cating an  Imperial  Order,  the  members  arose  and 
clapped!  At  the  front  desk  was  read  the  rescript 
which  duly  constituted  the  Parliament,  and  after  a 
pause  there  was  produced  also  a  white  document  which 
set  forth  the  rules  of  procedure.  This  constituted  the 
opening  ceremony,  and  the  Speaker  then  adjourned  the 
session  till  the  afternoon. 

Carlyle  has  made  memorable  the  opening  of  the 
States  General  in  France,  and  the  visitor  to  the  old 
theatre  in  Versailles  can  sit  in  the  restored  chamber 
and  meditate  on  \he  rush  of  events  that  followed.  It 
is  not  given  to  many  people  to  see  the  curtain  rise  on  a 
new  drama,  with  a  full  sense  of  the  importance  of 
what  may  follow. 

On  the  third  day  the  Governor  came  in  state  to 
return  my  call,  traversing  some  long  distance  thi'ough 
the  dty,  and  being  the  first  GoVertibi*  td  visit  the  South- 


36  THE  GOVERNOR 

ern  Presbyterian  Mission.  It  was  an  event  in  the  city 
to  see  out-runners,  infantry,  and  cavalry  escorting  the 
chief  official  of  the  province  to  this  foreign  establish- 
ment. And  it  is  not  easy  to  recollect  a  case  when  the 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania  tui*ned  out  with  the  State 
Militia  to  visit,  say,  a  private  Chinese  traveller  housed 
at  the  China  Inland  Mission  in  Germantown. 

He  was  most  gracious  in  his  demeanor,  and  we 
naturally  talked  about  the  Great  Wall  built  by  Ch'in 
and  after  many  centuries  rebuilt  or  extensively  repaired 
to  keep  out  the  Mongols.  With  a  hearty  laugh,  he 
pointed  out  that  the  Mongols  had  come  and  stayed, 
nevertheless.  I  told  him  how  now  on  the  western  end 
a  Chinese  scholar  had  inscribed,  "  Beware  of  the  Rus- 
sians!" He  reddened  slightly,  and  diplomatically 
turned  the  conversation  again  to  the  Pigmies  of  Africa, 
asking  if  giants  lived  near  them;  this  may  have  been 
an  Oriental  parable.  We  found  a  less  delicate  topic 
arising  out  of  manufactures.  As  he  noticed  a  piece 
of  porcelain  on  the  table,  he  pointed  out  that  when 
Chinese  ware  fell  it  would  break  in  two  or  three  pieces, 
but  Japanese  would  shatter  and  be  beyond  repair — 
perhaps  another  parable.  We  both  laughed  heartily, 
and  he  reminded  me  that  much  mending  of  porcelain 
is  done  with  brass  wire ;  as  I  have  seen,  with  most  excel- 
lent results.  And  he  further  remarked  that  though 
Japanese  ware  when  new  has  a  good  appearance,  it  will 
not  last;  to  which  again  I  assented.  On  this  visit  he 
made  a  most  favourable  impression.  After  renewed 
assurances  of  the  good  feeling  of  America  toward 
China,  an  American  present  expressed  his  intention  of 
studying  the  language ;  he  smiled,  and  pointed  out  how 
easy  it  is,  and  indeed  gave  him  a  lesson!  He  chose 
three  words,  heaven,  earth,  tea,  and  drilled  him  in  their 
pronunciation.  I  agreed  that  they  formed  an  excel- 
lent choice  for  a  start,  and  that  of  the  tliree  essentials 


A   BOAT  STRAIGHTENS    WHEN    IT   GETS   TO   A   BRIDGE 

he  had  put  first  things  first.  Then  he  spoke  of  the 
simplicity  of  the  writing,  and  it  is  interesting  to  get  the 
point  of  view,  so  different  from  our  own.  "  With 
you,"  said  he,  "  the  word  heaven  takes  six  distinct 
characters  which  must  be  learned  separately  and  then 
combined;  with  us  in  our  ideographs  there  is  but  one 
character."  Still,  I  could  but  reflect  that  they  too 
have  to  combine  their  ideographs,  and  often  these  are 
ambiguous  in  their  meaning,  while  a  mere  twenty-six 
characters  will  serve  all  our  purpose  as  against  hundreds 
and  even  thousands  of  theirs.  He  spoke  of  the  popula- 
tion, and  put  that  of  Hangchow  at  between  two  and 
three  hundred  thousand.  As  I  had  heard  estimates 
running  up  even  to  a  million,  this  augured  well  for  his 
moderation  and  freedom  from  megalomania.  But  it 
seems  that  there  is  no  census  from  a  religious  stand- 
point, nor  is  one  even  contemplated.  With  much  appre- 
ciation of  the  goodness  that  led  him  to  devote  so  much 
attention  to  a  wayfarer,  I  attended  him  to  his  chair  and 
bowed  him  away.  How  remarkable  that  a  Mongol 
governor  should  be  here  at  a  town  that  was  the  last 
refuge  of  the  Chinese  against  the  Mongols,  at  a  town 
where  ended  the  Grand  Canal  built  by  the  Mongols! 
The  hope  of  China  lies  in  such  enlightened  men  as  he. 

PART   v.— THE    GREAT   STREET 

Having  paid  official  respect  to  the  ruler,  the  next 
thing  is  to  see  life  from  the  side  of  the  people.  For 
this  the  Great  Street  is  the  obvious  scene,  and  my 
friend  Prof.  Fitch  ^  a  most  capable  guide  and  inter- 
preter. 

We  took  our  start  at  the  Feng  Shan  Gate,  so  called 
because  it  faces  the  Feng  Hill  not  far  away,  and  where 

•  Prof.  Robt.  F.  Fitch,  M.A.,  B.D.,  son  of  the  distinguished  Missionary". 


88  THE  GREAT  STREET 

before  the  building  of  Hangchow  there  was  a  village 
of  barbarians.  There  are  three  methods  of  entering 
the  city  at  this  place,  the  ordinary  way  being  through 
a  double  gate  by  which  pedestrians  enter;  at  one  side 
is  the  water  gate,  through  which  at  the  time  of  our  visit 
huge  cargoes  of  paper  were  being  boated;  and  at  one 
side  of  the  main  gate,  on  the  top  of  the  crenellated 
wall,  is  a  windlass  with  a  basket  suspended,  by  means 
of  which  people  are  able  to  enter  the  city  at  night  for 
the  payment  of  about  a  penny.  This  windlass  has  no 
ratchet,  and  sometimes  when  the  man  who  works  it  is 
under  the  influence  of  liquor,  the  motive  force  ceases  to 
operate,  vnth  the  result  that  even  the  hauling  of  a 
foreigner  in  the  basket  is  an  insufficient  stimulus  to 
bring  him  straight  to  the  top,  and  he  has  several  times 
hung  between  heaven  and  earth,  like  Mohammed's 
coffin,  at  a  dead  standstill,  wondering  whether  he  should 
proceed  upward  or  fall  suddenly  downward.  But  a 
man  cannot  expect  to  be  heavily  insured  for  a  few 
coppers.  The  canal  that  runs  parallel  to  Great  Street 
might  be  drained  and  an  electric  railroad  run  in  it; 
as  the  right  of  way  is  already  secure,  it  would  be  enor- 
mously profitable.  Perhaps  a  few  petrol  launches  on 
the  canal  would  be  a  cheaper  investment,  with  less  dis- 
turbance. 

Within  the  double  gate  we  came  upon  a  small  tent 
in  which  was  a  Celestial  phrenologist,  telepathist,  and 
prophet.  We  respectfully  entered  his  tent,  and  with 
twelve  cents  as  compensation  asked  for  information 
which  he  alone  could  give.  He  first  asked  my  age;  I 
replied,  "  Under  sixty."  This  not  satisfying  him,  he 
smiled,  and  I  told  him  I  was  forty-three  years  younger 
than  my  father.  Seeing  that  I  was  like  a  marriageable 
maiden  in  my  diffidence  in  these  things,  he  kindly  pro- 
ceeded to  business.  He  pinched  my  left  ear  three  times, 
right  ear  two  times,  and  punched  my  nose  seven  times 


Feng  Hill  Gate  and  "Niuut  Baskkt,"  IIaxgciiow. 


«  7  ff  *  "T  ffe  ^  s» 

I   CAUGHT   A    BEE    AND    HE   STCNG    MY    HAND  I 

at  least,  sufficient  to  stimulate  if  not  to  discover  the  cir- 
culation. He  said  that  from  1  to  7  years  of  age  my 
left  ear  assumed  its^  pleasing  shape  and  indicated  my 
then  state;  from  8  to  14  the  right  ear  came  in;  from 
15  to  16  my  heavenly  hall  or  the  top  of  my  forehead 
was  well  developed;  from  17  to  18  the  corners  of  the 
forehead;  at  19  the  middle  of  the  forehead  was  de- 
veloped; from  20  to  21  the  temples  were  well  developed; 
from  22  to  25,  above  the  temples ;  from  26  to  27  tsin  ling 
tsong  was  well  developed;  at  28  was  developed  a  frown 
right  in  the  middle  that  was  unpropitious ;  at  29  my 
pien  yin  san  lin  was  very  good;  from  30  to  32  my  eye- 
brows matured  not  unpropitiously;  from  33  to  34  the 
point  right  above  the  eyebrows  developed — a  lovely 
character ;  they  indicated  good  luck.  Then  I  asked  him 
about  my  home.  I  had  to  draw  chance  rolls  of  yellow 
paper  from  the  box  which  stood  on  his  table.  The 
first  two  rolls  indicated  nothing,  and  had  to  be  thrown 
out;  then  when  the  third  roll  came,  all  that  could  be 
asked  for  came  with  it.  The  first  thing  that  he  told  me 
was  that  I  am  to  be  a  great  official.  I  recalled  him  to 
my  home.  "  Your  wife  is  doing  well  and  there  is  no 
cause  for  worry."  The  children  were  also  safe  and 
well,  and  already  indicated  marvellous  capacities  for 
future  official  life.  I  was  to  have  not  only  thousands  a 
year  for  my  income  but  many  tens  of  thousands.  And 
all  the  powers  of  life  I  should  exercise  in  full  till  over 
ninety  years  of  age.  He  summed  my  fortune  in  these 
ideas:  Influence,  wealth,  and  old  age.  That  man 
has  probably  told  fortunes  to  thousands  of  people,  and 
he  has  already  formed  his  opinion  of  what  the  summum 
honum  of  life  is,  and  has  expressed  it  in  fortunes.  An 
opportunity  there  for  the  missionary  to  teach  something 
better ;  the  simplest  message  the  missionary  has  to  offer 


40  THE  GREAT  STREET 

to  men  has  in  it  good  fortune.     He  was  perplexed  when 
I  told  him  that  I  am  a  bachelor! 

We  passed  the  police  station  on  our  left,  and  came 
to  a  scissors  factory  where  four  men  turn  out  one  hun- 
dred pairs  per  day,  with  no  Sunday,  and  receive  each 
from  $6  to  $7  per  month,  eating  the  master's  rice. 
There  were  clothing  stores  with  the  strange  blue  gar- 
ments of  the  Celestials  hanging  with  sleeves  extended 
at  full  length,  and  barbers  with  basins  and  rough  towels. 
Horn  lantern  globes  caught  my  fancy  and  gave  me 
pause ;  they  take  each  the  work  of  from  five  to  six  men, 
at  from  $15  to  $16  per  month  and  rice.  The  makers 
buy  horns  at  Shanghai,  taken  from  mountain  goats; 
the  horn  is  shaved  to  fineness  and  welded  together  with 
hot  pinchers,  a  really  interesting  and  skilful  perform- 
ance. Eggs  cooked  in  clay  and  salt  were  selling  at 
nineteen  cash  each,  while  fresh  eggs  were  marked 
at  fifteen  cash  each. 

Then  we  came  to  an  imposing  establishment,  a  sort 
of  Apothecaries'  Hall,  bearing  a  sign  which  entitles  it 
"  The  Drug  Hall  of  Propitious  Munificence."  The 
whole  vertical  front  of  the  Hall  was  of  inlaid  square 
tiles,  and  threw  one  at  once  into  a  mood  for  prosperity. 
The  passage-way  by  which  we  entered  was  hung  with 
boards  covered  with  gold  inscriptions,  telling  of  the 
merits  of  the  concoctions  within.  We  came  to  a  large 
court-yard,  beyond  which  behind  counters  were  many 
clerks  dispensing  medicines.  There  are  certain  days 
in  the  week  when  hundreds  constantly  throng  the  place, 
because  on  such  days  they  can  get  discount  from  the 
regular  prices — much  as  our  railways  have  cheap  fares 
on  special  days.  The  hospitals  also  follow  this  plan. 
This  enables  the  drug-store  and  the  hospital  both  to 
apply  the  energies  of  the  staff  either  to  trade  or  to 
routine  work  in  preparation  of  drugs;  it  makes  a 
division  of  time  and  not  of  labour  which  might  be  of 


A  THIEF  HAS  AS  MUCH  TALENT  AS  A  FIRST-HONOR  MAIT 

advantage  to  some  of  our  American  druggists.  Not 
only  are  there  the  golden  inscriptions  telling  of  the 
virtues  of  the  concoctions,  but  almost  immediately  under 
them  are  vast  jars  containing  the  concoctions.  These  line 
the  approach  to  the  more  sacred  precincts  of  the  selling 
department. 

By  all  other  means  except  taste  we  were  then  led  to 
examine  some  of  the  preparations  for  medicinal  use, 
and  we  found  this  one  difference  between  Chinese  medi- 
cines and  those  at  home.  The  names  of  the  Chinese 
remedies  indicate  their  use  or  potency,  whereas  the 
majority  of  our  U.S.A.  remedies  are  worse  than  San- 
scrit in  conveying  any  idea  as  to  what  they  are  intended 
for.  But  the  imagination  must  be  well  trained  to  fol- 
low the  hints  given  by  the  names.  The  Great  Bless- 
ing Pill,  made  of  ten  kinds  of  drugs,  would  naturally 
be  a  general  tonic;  the  Double  Mystery  Pill  was  for 
elephantiasis,  a  disease  mysterious  enough  for  anybody ; 
Six  Taste  Pill  was  for  bad  brains;  Transparent  Peace 
Pill  was  for  Bright's  disease,  the  Pill  of  Ten  Thou- 
sand Efficacies  for  ten  thousand  indispositions;  the 
Thousand  Gold  Pill  was  for  maidens,  "  Thousand 
Gold  "  **^  being  a  literary  expression  for  a  maiden. 

Tons  of  raw  material  are  brought  to  this  store  ^very 
year  and  converted  into  medicine  for  the  market.  At 
one  of  the  branch  houses  donkey-skins  were  prepared; 
in  another  about  a  hundred  deer  were  raised,  and  in  this 
store  were  a  hundred  more  deer,  each  in  a  narrow 
enclosure,  eating  mulberry  leaves  and  drinking  water 
from  a  trough,  sleeping  on  a  raised  board  at  the  back, 
and  tramping  on  geranium  leaves.  The  horns  grow 
afresh  in  the  summer,  and  are  cut  off  in  the  winter  and 

w-^^cA'ien  chin  really  means  "a  thousand  ounces  of  silver,"  and 
is  a  conventional  phrase  used  in  alluding  to  another  person's  daughter. 
It  is  used  in  common  speech. 


42  THE  GREAT  STREET 

made  into  medicine ;  all  the  other  parts  of  the  deer 
are  also  used.  A  deer  costs  from  $500  to  $800  Mexi- 
can, and  about  sixty  deer  are  killed  annually ;  no  drug- 
stores in  America  kill  annually  sixty  deer  at  that  price. 
In  this  way  fresh  raw  material  is  always  at  hand.  On 
the  street  one  can  buy  canned  milk  as  old  as  the  hills, 
but  this  store  not  only  furnishes  pure  drugs  but  fresh 
ones.  On  certain  raised  platforms  higher  than  the 
roof  we  saw  thousands  of  pills  sunning,  the  product  of 
but  one  day's  work ;  they  sunned  a  day  and  then  cooked 
a  day.  Those  that  need  to  be  kept  dry  and  fresh  we 
saw  being  sealed  hermetically  in  beautiful  white  wax 
balls,  a  process  far  surpassing  the  preservation  of  castor 
oil  in  gelatine  capsules,  as  the  wax  does  not  deteriorate 
like  the  gelatine.  Blind  men  were  grinding,  that  they 
might  not  give  away  the  secrets.  In  all  there  were  300 
men,  all  Ningpo  men^  employed  in  making  medicine, 
and  none  for  advertising  purposes;  so  different  from 
a  great  American  medicine  factory  I  once  visited,  where 
there  were  on  the  top  floor  13  men  making  medicine, 
and  75  below  preparing  advertisements. 

Dr.  Stuart,  who  was  personally  acquainted  with  the 
founder  of  this  great  medicine  house,  furnished  me  the 
following  brief  biography: 

Wu  Sin  Yin  was  a  poor  boy  in  a  bank,  swept  the 
floors,  and  made  himself  generally  useful.  A  fire 
occurred ;  the  other  employees  fled,  but  young  Wu  Sin 
stuck  to  his  post.  The  proprietor  rewarded  him  by 
throwing  better  positions  in  his  way.  He  rose  rapidly, 
became  immensely  wealthy,  until  he  was  the  Rockefeller 
of  Hangchow,  one  of  the  richest  men  in  the  empire. 
He  opened  pawnshops,  the  best  investment  in  the  Hills 
of  T'ang.  Took  on  thirty  wives,  built  palaces,  the  most 
magnificent  in  this  city.  Provided  himself  with  wives 
and  palaces  in  the  various  cities  where  he  had  pawn- 


mmmmm  *» 


STANDING    WITH    FKET  ON   TWO   BUAT9 


shops,  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  **  travelling  "  his  wives. 
Loaned  money  to  the  Emperor.  He  had  a  good  time; 
had  sixty  clocks  in  his  Hangchow  palace.  Wanted 
a  medicine  shop  to  give  him  rebates ;  it  refused  to  do  so, 
and  he  started  an  opposition  concern,  which  is  now  the 
greatest  establishment  of  its  kind  in  China.  Cornered 
silk,  and  lost  his  wealth.  Called  each  wife,  gave  her 
$100,  and  sent  her  home;  took  gold  leaf  and  died.  His 
great  medicine  concern  continues  prosperous. 

Wu  Sin  Yin  rose  from  poverty  to  great  wealth, 
just  as  boys  have  done  in  America.  Too  greedy;  lost 
all ;  could  not  stand  defeat ;  died  of  gold  leaf. 

Great  Street  reaches  from  farms  to  farms  through 
the  vast  metropolis,  and  is  the  main  dry  artery  of  the 
city.  A  fire  recently  destroyed  certain  of  the  business 
houses,  and  the  authorities  ordained  that  wherever  a 
new  house  went  up,  there  the  street  should  be  widened 
by  some  fifty  per  cent. — a  most  sane  and  timely  ordi- 
nance. Chinese  do  not  like  to  have  their  streets  and 
canals  absolutely  straight;  it  is  more  lucky  to  have 
them  crooked,  for  then  water-spirits  and  evil  spirits  are 
more  likely  to  lose  their  way. 

We  crossed  but  one  considerable  bridge  on  Great 
Street,  and  on  it  was  a  shrine  to  the  God  of  Wealth. 
There  were  two  other  bridges  near-by,  and  the  more 
important  was  called  the  Multiple  Peace  Bridge.  Be- 
fore coming  to  the  God  of  Wealth  we  visited  the 
mosque  on  Protection  Square,  one  of  the  three  in  the 
city,  built  in  the  T'ang  djTiasty  about  the  seventh  cen- 
tury, the  only  religious  building,  save  one,  spared  by  the 
T*ai-p*ings,  because  of  the  absence  of  the  idols.  This 
mosque  has  been  repaired  on  several  occasions,  and 
when  extensive  repairs  were  made  the  account  was  ren- 
dered to  the  public  by  means  of  stone  tablets,  this  being 


44)  THE  GREAT  STREET 

the  custom  also  of  Buddhist  temples.  One  of  these  tab- 
lets first  records  the  names  of  contributors;  the  largest 
contribution  recorded  was  given  by  Mr.  Ma,  of  the 
Firm  of  Prosperity  and  Goodness,  his  subscription 
being  $1939.96  and  1  mill,  the  smallest  being  $2.00,  and 
the  total  recorded  on  the  tablet  $2209.96  and  1  mill. 

Below  this  was  a  statement  of  expenditure.  Inside 
the  first  tablet  to  catch  the  eye  was  an  Imperial  rescript ; 
the  tablet  in  front  of  it,  worked  in  red  and  gilt,  con- 
tained the  words: 

"  May  the  Emperor  live  Ten  Thousand  Years; 
Ten  Thousand  Years;  Ten  Thousand  Times  Ten 
Thousand  Years." 

This  was  to  indicate  the  loyalty  of  the  Moham- 
medans to  the  Emperor.  Outside  in  the  court-yard 
was  a  peculiar  sundial  which  indicated  the  twelve 
periods  of  day  and  night,  i.e.,  each  period  consisting  of 
two  of  our  hours.  There  are  200  families  of  Moslems 
in  Hangchow,  numbering  in  all  about  2000  people; 
they  were  clean  and  intelligent-looking,  and  possessed 
a  spirit  of  uprightness  and  independence  not  found  on 
the  street. 

Universal  Help  Hall  was  also  on  Great  Street;  at 
one  side  of  the  main  gate  there  was  a  small  opening  for 
the  reception  of  infants.  Very  rarely  is  a  boy,  or  a 
sound  healthy  child,  brought  to  this  place.  From  this 
place  of  reception  it  is  taken  to  an  asylum,  where  are 
now  200  children  supported  by  voluntary  contributions. 
If  any  one  wishes  to  adopt  one  of  these  children,  he 
must  furnish  good  security  that  he  will  provide  the  child 
with  right  physical  and  moral  treatment.  Nor  is  this 
the  only  institution  that  surprises  us  by  tokens  of  phil- 
anthropy which  we  did  not  expect  to  find  in  a  heathen 
land.     There  is  a  home  for  old  folks,  and  an  almshouse. 


Photo  by  Miss  D.  C.  Joynt. 

YuAN-THE- patriot;    sometimes  spoken   of  as  Yuan  Ch'ang-the-Mar- 

TYR,  "who  laid  down  HIS  LIFE  FOR  ' STRANGERS '  IN  THE  BoXER  RiOTS  BY 
ALTERING  THE  READING  OF  THE  EDICT-TELEGRAM  ORDERING  THE  EXTER- 
MINATION    OF    FOREIGNERS."       HiS      GRAVE      IS      NEAR      THE      WhITE      SnAKE 

Pagoda. 


Photo  by  Venie  J.  Lee,  M.D. 


Great  Peace  Bridge,  Hangchow. 


S  Mb  a  H  A  *^ 

BDBYINO    ONK    IN    THK    SNOW — WOn'T   LAST 

A  very  rich  native  gentleman  who  was  "  wild  "  turned 
over  a  new  leaf  and  now  gives  his  time  and  money  to 
run  a  school  for  the  young  I  Now,  too,  may  be  seen 
normal  schools,  high  schools,  grammar  schools,  and 
about  fifty  primary  schools. 

I  also  entered  a  spirit-money  shop,  in  which  modern 
Mexican  dollars  were  made  out  of  card-board  and 
covered  with  tin  foil ;  two  hundred  of  such  dollars  I  pur- 
chased for  ten  cents.  This  money  is  burned  at  the 
graves  of  the  deceased,  in  order  that  the  spiritual  essence 
may  ascend  to  some  heavenly  bank  and  be  put  to  the 
credit  of  the  deceased.  When  five  months  ago  Prince 
Wang  was  buried,  about  $10,000  Mexican  was  spent 
on  his  funeral,  and  a  proportion  of  the  money  was  spent 
on  paper  objects  such  as  articles  of  furniture,  and 
spirit-money,  in  order  to  furnish  him  with  a  spiritual 
essence  in  a  spiritual  world.  This  was  done  by  the 
women  of  the  prince's  family  to  give  the  man  a  big 
send-off  in  the  next  world. 

From  the  city  I  took  a  chair  to  the  grave  of  the 
patriot  Yiian.  He  was  in  power  when  an  edict  was 
issued  ordering  all  foreigners  to  be  killed.  He  was 
far-sighted — saw  powerful  fleets  coming  from  the  sun- 
I'ise,  vast  legions  of  armed  men  springing  up  to  avenge ; 
so  he  changed  the  word  "  kill "  into  "  protect,"  and 
published  the  edict  broadcast.  In  this  form  it  did  its 
work,  and  few  foreign  lives  were  lost  in  this  province. 
But  of  course  the  Empress  could  not  brook  such  treason, 
and  he  was  sawn  asunder,  the  halves  of  his  body  being 
thrown  unceremoniously  into  a  rough  box.  Later  on 
his  foresight  was  justified;  public  feeling  veered  round, 
the  box  was  encased  in  a  heavy  and  costly  coffin,  and  a 
state   funeral   was   accorded   at   the   bidding   of   the 


46  THE  GREAT  STREET 

Emperor,  when  the  procession  traversed  much  of  the 
Great  Street  and  was  honoured  by  many  sacrifices, 
while  his  name  was  inscribed  in  the  Hall  of  Fame. 
Every  foreigner  ought  to  go  on  pilgrimage  to  the  tomb 
of  this  benefactor.  I  broke  a  sprig  of  evergreen  and 
laid  it  in  respect  on  the  grave  of  the  man  wise  and  brave 
enough  to  dare  the  wrath  of  an  Empress  and  act  for 
the  good  of  helpless  foreigners  and  an  ignorant  nation. 

If  this  shows  one  aspect  of  the  new  age  that  is  so 
rapidly  overtaking  the  land,  an  even  more  striking 
picture  is  to  be  seen  in  two  monasteries,  one  of  the 
past  and  one  of  the  future.  Come  with  me,  first  to 
Lin  Yin,  then  to  Blue  Lotus.  We  crossed  the  cause- 
way built  to  convey  the  royal  family  and  their  visitors 
over  the  artificial  lake  to  the  Imperial  residences,  which 
occupied  an  island,  and  went  on  to  the  monastery 
founded  by  a  monk  from  India  some  thirteen  hundred 
years  ago.  An  inscription  indicates  to  those  who  enter 
that  they  are  "  One  Foot  From  Heaven."  In  the 
grotto  within  the  grounds,  most  of  the  images  carved 
therein  of  disciples  of  Buddha  were  cut  out  by  a  Buddh- 
ist monk  named  Yang.  One  of  these  images  had 
inscribed  by  its  side  the  words,  **  A  living  Buddha." 
The  monasteries  in  China  should  be  considered  purely 
a  money-making  scheme;  they  should  be  spelled 
*'  moneyasteries."  Officials  close  monasteries  because 
of  the  licentiousness  prevailing. 

Now  contrast  with  this  picture  of  a  superstition 
which  defies  even  the  iconoclasfm  of  the  T*ai-p*ings  a 
picture  of  a  reformation  wrought  silently  by  a  man  of 
peace  at  the  Blue  Lotus  Monastery.  The  building 
resembled  those  of  a  monastery,  but,  strange  to  say, 
I  saw  no  images,  nor  was  there  anything  tinctured  with 
idol-worship.  A  gentleman  came  out  to  welcome  us 
most  courteously,  and  almost  before  I  cotild  get  a' 
(gfu'e'stidrt  at  him  h'e  had  e'xblaimiefd,  "  Gdd  has  befell  Vety 


.The  ancient  Pagoda  of  the  Classics,  'Lin  Yin  Monastery,  Hangchow. 


*  If  «f  1i  ^  « 

▲   8TOCT  CAT  18  STBKLY   A   THIBV 

gracious  to  me."  I  asked  myself,  "What  God?" 
Surprise  and  astonishment  were  evidently  on  my  face. 
He  shook  hands  with  himself  and  smiled  a  great  Celes- 
tial smile.  When  he  turned  his  head,  I  noticed  he  had  a 
queue,  whereas  Buddhist  priests  entirely  shave  their 
heads.  This  man  has  a  wonderful  tale.  Born  of  a 
pedlar,  at  the  age  of  thirteen  carried  off  by  the  T'ai- 
p'ings,  made  to  care  for  their  horses,  he  had  opportunity 
to  cover  a  deal  of  country  and  had  lots  of  affrighting 
experiences.  He  still  shudders  as  he  relates  the  scenes 
of  carnage  that  frequently  met  his  gaze.  After  the 
rebellion  was  over  he  returned  to  the  city  to  find  his 
parents,  but  failed  to  do  so.  Business  failures  led  him 
to  think  of  the  Buddhist  priesthood  as  a  way  to  make  a 
living.  So  he  "  left  the  world  "  to  get  into  it,  or  to  get 
it,  and  "  practised  virtue,"  which  is  the  Buddhist  expres- 
sion for  being  a  monk,  alone  in  the  Hangchow  hills. 

He  got  dissatisfied  after  many  years  because  of  the 
meanness  of  his  brother  monks.  The  difficulty  of  ob- 
taining a  livelihood  led  him  to  buy  the  living  at  the 
Blue  Lotus  with  what  money  he  could  save  and  had 
raised.  Here  he  lived  for  a  dozen  years  in  comfort  off 
the  rental  of  monastery  houses,  offerings  of  the  people, 
and  fees  for  the  masses  he  was  constantly  sent  for  to 
say. 

The  explosion  of  the  Powder  Magazine  in  1898 
injured  the  main  building  and  he  sent  for  a  carpenter 
to  repair  it.  This  carpenter  was  a  Christian,  and  spoke 
to  him  of  the  One  True  God  and  His  method  of  salva- 
tion. After  some  time  he  bought  a  Bible,  and  even 
accompanied  the  carpenter  a  few  times  to  service  at  the 
C.M.S.  Church.  Afterwards  he  attended  some  night 
meetings  at  the  Southisrn  Chapel,  somewhat  nearer. 
"  But  what  was  the  real  thing  "which  decided  ytm  tb 


48  THE  GREAT  STREET 

become  a  Christian?  "  he  was  asked.  "  I  used  to  attend 
the  Friday  evening  prayer-meetings,  going  by  back 
alleys  for  fear  of  recognition;  one  Friday  night  as  I 
heard  one  after  another  stand  up  and  make  requests  for 
prayer,  one  for  a  missionary  going  out  on  a  trip, 
another  for  a  sick  church-member,  and  a  third  for  an 
unbelieving  friend,  I  said  to  myself, '  This  is  what  I  have 
been  seeking  all  these  years  and  never  yet  found,  real, 
genuine  love;  that  is  what  I  want.'  And  that  is  why 
I  am  a  Christian."  A  drowsy  prayer-meeting  did  the 
work — a  mid-week  prayer-meeting.  He  thereupon  did 
not  know  what  to  do  with  his  monastery  and  idols  and 
his  idol  business.  His  old  customers  could  scarcely 
believe  him  when  he  refused  to  go  out  and  say  mass. 
And  surely  no  Christian  could  keep  up  a  monastery  full 
of  idols !  He  asked  the  native  pastor  what  to  do.  "  To 
follow  Christ  you  must  give  up  everything,"  was  the 
reply.  The  simple  old  man  took  these  words  literally, 
brought  the  deeds  of  his  monastery  and  laid  them  at 
the  pastor's  feet.  The  missionaries  knew  not  what  to 
do  with  it,  therefore  they  kept  it.  The  old  monk  went 
into  business,  but  is  now  installed  as  teacher  of  a  Chris- 
tian school  in  the  old  monastery,  and  receives  consider- 
ably less  pay  than  was  formerly  his  income  from  the 
property.  He  says  he  wants  to  devote  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life  to  helping  the  children  of  China  to  hear 
the  Truth. 


T-iiE  BEAUTIFUL  Monk's  R kst  Bkidge,  Lin  Yin  Mon.\stery,  Hangchow. 


II 

FOOCHOW 

PART  I.— ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

One  of  the  most  advanced  provinces,  in  its  own 
estimation,  is  Fukien,  on  the  coast,  south  of  Chekiang. 
Its  largest  stream  is  the  Min  or  Snake  River,  wliich  has 
a  fine  estuary,  at  whose  head  stands  fair  Foochow,  which 
was  opened  to  foreign  commerce  by  treaty  with  the 
British  seventy  years  ago.  In  forty  years  it  built  up 
an  export  trade  of  nearly  one  hundred  million  pounds 
of  tea;  but  then  came  a  war  with  the  French/  The 
foreign  fleet  steamed  up  the  gulf  and  nearly  destroyed 
the  arsenal;  to  prevent  its  nearer  approach  barges 
laden  with  stone  were  sunk  across  the  river,  and  they 
have  effectually  prevented  large  ships  coming  higher. 
Ever  since,  vessels  have  halted  at  Pagoda  Anchorage, 
some  ten  miles  below  the  city.^  Yet  the  trade  was  not 
utterly  ruined;  more  than  400  steamers  and  100  sailing- 
vessels  cleared  the  customs  in  1908,  carrying  away  tea 
to  the  value  of  over  £800,000,  and  yielding  a  revenue 
of  £110,000.  Besides  tea,  not  much  variety  is  sent 
away,  beyond  canes,  wooden  poles  and  boxes,  silk,  and 
camphor.  Imports  include  about  500  foreigners 
annually,  largely  from  Shanghai. 

The  voyage  had  occupied  two  and  a  half  days,  as  a 

*  I  lived  at  Pagoda  Anchorage  in  1882.  Already  at  that  date  the 
tea  trade  had  begun  to  decline.  The  days  of  the  famous  tea-clippers, 
which  used  to  sail  round  the  Cape,  were  over,  so  that  the  war  with  the 
French  in  1884  was  not  the  primary  cause  of  the  falling  off  in  trade." 
— Lionel    Giles. 

="' No  large  vessels — that  is,  nothing  bigger  than  junks  and  steam- 
launches — ever  went  up  to  the  city  of  Foochow  itself,  owing  to  the  shallow- 
ness of  the  river." 

4  49 


50  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

threatened  typhoon  induced  our  captain  twice  to  put 
into  harbour.  Through  the  yellow  waters  of  the  For- 
mosan  Channel,  beyond  which  the  Japanese  are  trying 
to  tame  the  head-hunters,  we  passed  over  the  bar  into 
the  outer  basin  of  the  estuary,  then  through  the  Kindai 
Pass  into  a  second  and  warmer  one,  and,  after  the  Min- 
gan  Pass,  with  mountains  towering  on  either  hand, 
came  to  our  anchorage  in  the  third  basin,  off  the 
Pagoda.  Our  doctor  was  at  once  invoked  to  attend 
a  pearl-diver  who  had  been  mauled  by  some  strange 
beast  unknown,  reputed  to  be  a  sea-turtle  ^  which  had 
greatly  diminished  the  number  of  these  divers.  All 
around  were  monuments  of  the  past.  At  the  entrance 
stood  a  tower  on  the  crest  behind  Sharp  Peak;  it  was 
erected  by  a  wife  to  welcome  back  her  husband  from 
a  voyage,  but  when  he  saw  the  strange  mark  he  con- 
cluded he  had  mistaken  the  estuary,  and  sailed  away 
never  to  return.  Here  was  a  post  to  commemorate  a 
wreck,  here  an  old  beacon  superceded  by  electric  teleg- 
raphy; yonder  were  forts  to  guard  the  passes.  Here 
was  one  of  a  pair  of  mandarin's  feet  in  the  live  rock. 
Sacrilegious  quarrymen  were  not  debarred  from  carv- 
ing away  its  fellow  by  the  blood  that  followed  the 
strokes  of  the  chisel,  but  detached  it  and  took  it  up  to 
l?uild  a  bridge,  where  it  assumed  the  oif  ensive  and  kicked 
the  masons  into  the  river,  so  the  hint  was  taken  and  the 
foot  was  allowed  to  follow  them;  this  one  remains  here 
to  prove  the  story.  And  now  that  we  were  at  the  head 
of  ocean  navigation,  in  a  secure  and  capacious  port, 
the  Starry  Tower  Pagoda  smiled  across  the  water  at 
such  new  edifices  as  the  tanks  of  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany and  the  American  Mission,  the  former  dignified 
with   the   title,    "Beautiful    Hatchery."     The    latter 

•The  Chinese  equivalent   for  our  sea-serpent  is  always  figured  as  a 
gigantic  turtle.     Its  name  is  ch'^n. 


A  OSAF  FBIE8T  OAK    HXAB  A   UKIT  CBOW 


> 


Foochow;  "  Happy  Region." 


52  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

houses  a  poet,  Dr.  Hubbard,  whose  muse  has  been 
inspired  by  the  river  below,  and  some  hnes  from  his 
"  Ode  to  the  Min  "  may  beguile  those  who  travel  by 
launch  up  to  the  city. 

Beautiful  Min! 
Thy  waters  have  long 
Blessed  the  labours  of  man. 
Strong  Hills  of  the  Min! 
Before  our  glad  eyes 
Your  terraces   high 
Like   stairs   upward   rise 
To  the  bright  blue  sky. 
Meandering  Min! 
So  varied  in  form. 
Turning  north,  turning  south. 
Southeast  in  the  morn 
From  source  to  thy  mouth; 
Yet  in  thy  long  course 
All  ways  dost  thou  flow. 
By  the  strange  acts  of  force 
Moving  fast,  moving  slow. 
Now  narrow  and  deep 
Fast  rushing  along. 
Now  broadened,  asleep, 
Neath  a   feathery  throng 
Of  graceful  bamboos 
And  grasses  with  plumes. 
Where  the  brown  dove  coos 
And  the  wild  lotus  blooms. 
Oh  beautiful  Min! 
God's   praises   you   speak  .  .  . 
From  the  hills  of  Bohea 
To  the  Golden  Gate 
Where  you  enter  the  sea. 

As  our  launch  takes  us  up  these  beautiful  waters, 
we  see  no  less  beautiful  sights  ashore.  Here  are  the 
curved  roofs  that  used  to  figure  in  our  ideas  of  China. 


BVKN   A   BEQGAR   WILL    NOT   CROSS   A   EOTTEN   BBIDQB 

The  modern  utilitarian  native  says  that  they  are  built 
thus  in  order  to  give  the  evil  spirits  no  foothold  when 
they  would  alight,  but  to  cannon  them  off  again  into 
the  air.  Can  we  not  hope  that  the  style  really  was 
adopted  to  blend  with  the  mountains  around?*  Still, 
at  the  present  day  there  are  all  sorts  of  queer  customs 
kept  up.  Here  is  a  mud  cat  modelled  on  one  roof  to 
keep  off  evil  influences;  yonder  is  a  fish  to  attract  the 
good.  There  is  a  tattered  red  scroll,  put  out  last  New 
Year's  Day,  with  the  strip  of  white  at  the  top,  first 
pasted  on  in  mourning  for  the  Ming  dynasty,  which 
ended  its  reign  four  years  before  the  Martyr  King, 
Charles  I;  a  few  good  old  Jacobites  in  England  still 
look  up  to  the  dethroned  Stuarts,  but  a  whole  province 
mourning  for  a  passed  dynasty  seems  not  complimen- 
tary to  the  present  Manchu  rulers.  From  the  abodes 
of  the  living  we  naturally  rest  our  eyes  on  the  homes 
of  the  dead.  The  favourite  places  are  dells  on  the 
mountain-side,  sheltered  from  the  storms,  but  command- 
ing fine  views,  so  that  from  the  river  they  are  most  con- 
spicuous; the  grave  itself  is  horse-shoe  in  shape, 
generally  embowered  in  tall  pines. 

The  boat  comes  into  more  crowded  waters  and  slows 
down.  On  the  native  boats  around  we  see  piles  of 
telegraph  poles,  representing  the  careful  forestry  which 
protects  the  trees  for  fifteen  years  and  yields  a  rich 
felling.  We  slow  up  to  the  wharf  near  the  Bridge  of 
a  Myriad  Ages  and  find  instead  of  the  gruff  Roman 
notice,  "  Beware  of  the  Dog,"  quite  a  benediction 
inscribed  for  us,  "  May  Your  Coming  and  Going  be  in 
Peace!"  The  wharves  give  us  an  idea  of  the  staple 
trades,  by  which  we  see  what  a  quantity  of  agricultural 

♦The  more  prosaic  explanation  is  that  the  curved  roof  represents  the 
curve  of  the  canvas  in  the  primitive  tent  dwellings — is  in  fact  a  survi- 
val from  prehistoric  ages. 


54  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

produce  is  exported:  rice,  millet,  wheat,  beans,  peas, 
onions ;  melons,  figs,  white  dates,  plums,  and  many  other 
fruits;  crabs,  fish,  and  turtles;  salt,  sugar,  saltpetre, 
and  silver.  But  manufactures  are  not  lacking;  besides 
raw  hemp  we  see  cloth,  rough  paper,  and  silk.  And 
from  another  province  is  imported  the  sap  of  a  tree 
which  hardens  into  lacquer.  The  lustre  is  due  to 
the  use  of  the  sap  of  the  varnish  tree,  Rhus  vernicifera, 
which  is  dissolved  in  spring  water  and  mixed  with  oil 
and  other  ingredients,  and  then  laid  on  with  as  many  as 
ten  to  fifteen  applications  for  the  best  specimens. 
For  many  centuries  one  family  here  has  worked 
a  secret  process  which  makes  Foochow  lacquer-ware 
unrivalled.  Tables,  tea-sets,  and  other  articles  of 
furniture  form  the  cheaper  articles;  combined  with 
gold  the  lacquer  takes  beautiful  green  or  crimson 
or  yellow  tints  which  decorate  boxes,  card-cases, 
vases,  or  chop-sticks,  some  wrought  so  delicately  as 
to  be  but  featherweight.  Akin  to  this  rare  art  is  the 
silver  jewelry  in  lotus  design,  into  which  is  enamelled 
kingfisher  feathers.  But  the  great  staple  of  the  dis- 
trict is  tea,  congou  and  souchong.  Unfortunately  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  does  not  regulate  the  trade,  and 
when  a  fine  crop  has  been  put  upon  the  market  all  the 
reputation  acquired  is  carelessly  thrown  away  by  the 
hasty  production  of  very  inferior  teas.  The  Siberian 
and  Russian  trade  in  brick  teas  has  been  almost  for- 
feited in  this  way,  and  the  English  are  turning  away 
from  an  uncertain  market  to  the  well-graded  Indian 
and  Ceylon  teas.  One  of  the  great  buyers  almost 
despairs  of  the  native  short-sightedness,  and  suggests 
that  the  laws  be  altered  to  permit  foreigners'  acquiring 
and  superintending  great  tea  plantations. 

Away  from  the  busy  haunts  of  commerce  to  the 
hospitable  homes  of  the  American  missionaries,  who 
welcome  a  compatriot  and  club  together  their  resources 


A   BEABD    BEFOBE   BTBBROWS  ! 

to  satisfy  his  enquiring  mind.  "  Is  there  anything  to 
tell  of  the  growth  of  the  place? "  Is  there  not,  indeed! 
Soon  thirty-two  volumes  of  good  size  are  produced, 
which  comprise  in  seventy-six  books  all  that  could  be 
learned  of  this  district  in  1776  a.d.,  sifted,  sorted,  and 
revised  by  the  best  university  scholars ;  to  which  supple- 
ments have  been  added,  as  to  the  ninth  edition  of  the 
"  Encyclopaedia  Britannica."  Let  us  delve  into  this 
mass  of  wisdom  and  get  out  some  masses  to  be  distilled 
for  Western  use.  It  proves  to  be  a  cyclopaedia  in  itself, 
dealing  with  maps,  stars,  undeveloped  land,  boundaries, 
cities,  mountains  and  streams,  fields  and  taxes,  schools, 
coast-guards,  soldiery,  altars  and  temples,  products, 
people,  plants,  lists  of  officials,  grave-stones,  customs, 
etc.,  etc. 

Our  method  of  locating  a  place  by  latitude  and 
longitude  is  varied  by  taking  the  constellations  of  the 
heavens.  The  ancient  "  Book  of  Rites  "  explains  how 
the  nine  continents  are  determined  by  reference  to  the 
stars.  And  on  this  principle  Foochow  is  assigned  to 
the  Cow;  but  there  was  a  quarrel  between  different 
schools  of  astronomical  geographers,  who  upheld  the 
Cow  alone,  or  the  Cow  and  the  Plough,  or  the  Cow 
and  the  Virgin,  or  even  a  mixture  of  all  three.  Sup- 
pose we  compromise  and  say  it  is  in  the  latitude  of  Key 
West. 

Now  as  to  its  early  condition.  It  is  needful  to  recol- 
lect that  the  China  of  antiquity,  the  China  of  Confucius, 
of  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti,  of  civilisation,  was  only  the 
basin  of  the  Yellow  River,  and  that  the  basins  of  the 
Yangtze  and  of  the  Si  Kiang  rivers  were  acquired  and 
civilised  at  a  later  date.  This  is  the  more  important 
as  the  bulk  of  the  emigrants  to  Australia  and  the  Pacific 
and  America  come  from  the  southern  districts,  which 


56  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

bear  to  the  original  China  somewhat  the  relation  that 
New  Mexico  and  Arizona  bear  to  Virginia  and  New 
England.  Granted  that  Chinese  civilisation  has  over- 
spread this  section,  how  about  the  aborigines  before 
that  wave  reached  them?  The  answer  shall  be  given  as 
it  was  written  out  by  a  teacher  in  the  Guild  School  in 
the  Foochow  district,  idiomatically  translated  by  my 
friend  L.  P.  Peet,  M.A.,  of  Yale.  Be  it  recollected 
that  some  aborigines  yet  survive  in  the  hills,  steadily 
refraining  from  intermixture. 

In  the  Ming  Dynasty  the  country  [then  called  U 
Cu]  belonged  to  China.  During  the  Mings  there  was 
an  Emperor,  by  name,  Kao  Hsing  Huangti  [1522- 
1567]  .^  In  his  time  there  was  a  country  on  the  Western 
Half  of  the  globe  called  Siu  lu ;  the  country  came  and 
engaged  in  war  with  this  Emperor,  who  was  very  badly 
defeated,  not  one  of  his  generals  daring  to  go  out  and 
fight  against  this  Western  Country.  The  Emperor 
of  this  Western  Country  became  more  and  more  proud 
and  arrogant,  causing  the  Emperor  Kao  Hsing  to 
become  very  hot,  so  that  he  issued  a  notice  calling  for  the 
enlistment  of  good  men;  this  proclamation  said,  "Who- 
ever is  able  to  go  and  punish  this  Western  Country  and 
beat  it,  he  shall  have  my  own  daughter  in  marriage. 
Her  will  I  give  to  the  leader  of  the  victorious  army." 

Just  at  this  time  there  was  a  commander  in  the  U 
Cu  country  who  saw  this  proclamation ;  and  this  general 
was  raising  a  dog;  this  dog  stood  two  feet  high  and  his 
length  was  over  two  and  a  half  feet,  colour  flower- white ; 
the  dog  was  very  ugly  in  behaviour,  one  that  would  scare 
people  very  readily;  he  ate  and  slept  with  his  owner. 
This  general  thought  within  himself,  "  I  will  to-morrow 
go  and  announce  to  the  Emperor  Kao  Hsing  that  I  wish 
myself  to  go  and  fight."  While  he  was  thus  thinking 
within  himself,  this  dog  came  running  in  and  barked 

"Chia  Ching   (Pekingese  pronunciation)   is  the  name  of  his  year-title. 


APTKR  A  TYPHOON  THERE  ARB  PKARS  TO  GATHER 

furiously  at  his  side.  The  commander  asked  the  dog, 
"  Can  you  for  me  go  and  fight?  "  Dog  nodded  his  head 
and  said  he  could.  And  so  this  commander  went  and 
announced  to  the  Huangti.  Huangti  was  very  glad  on 
hearing  of  this  and  gave  him  a  warrant  to  go  and  fight. 
Then  the  commander  gave  this  commission  to  the  dog, 
which  took  it  in  his  mouth  and  swam  to  the  Western 
Land.  The  Emperor  of  the  Western  Land,  seeing  the 
dog,  was  very  happy  and  said,  "  The  Central  Kingdom 
has  already  been  badly  defeated,  and  even  their  dogs 
are  fleeing  to  mj^  country  and  come  and  join  my  side." 
Therefore  this  Western  Country's  Emperor  received 
the  dog  into  his  country  and  nourished  him  in  his  palace, 
so  that  the  dog  slept  and  ate  with  the  Emperor  of  the 
Western  Country. 

The  dog  thought  within  himself,  "  You  are  feeding 
me  so  well,  yet  in  my  heart  I  have  the  spirit  of  revenge 
and  hence  cannot  receive  the  attentions  of  the  Western 
King  any  longer."  Therefore  having  visited  him 
about  ten  days,  on  the  night  of  the  last  day  the  dog 
waited  until  the  Emperor  of  the  Western  Country  was 
asleep,  and  in  great  haste  bit  off  the  Western  Country's 
Emperor's  head  and  carried  it  in  his  mouth  back  to  the 
Central  Kingdom  to  the  great  general,  and  the  great 
general  took  it  to  Kao  Hsing. 

Then  Kao  Hsing  investigated,  asking  his  general 
how  he  overcame  the  Western  Emperor;  the  general 
then  told  him  about  the  dog.  When  Kao  Hsing  heard 
tliis  he  was  very  glad  and  he  was  sorry;  glad  because 
he  overcame  him,  and  sorry  because  he  did  not  wish  to 
give  his  daughter  as  wife  to  a  dog.  Therefore,  as  he 
could  not  take  back  liis  words,  and  the  dog  was  victor- 
ious, yet  how  could  he  give  his  daughter  to  a  dog?  Then 
he  asked  the  general,  could  this  dog  be  turned  into  a 
person.  The  general  then  asked  the  dog,  "  Can  you 
change  into  a  person?"  The  dog  bowed  his  head. 
That  night  in  a  dream  the  dog  spoke  to  the  general: 


68  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

"  You  must  crush  me  in  a  measure,  and  wait  seven  times 
forty  days ;  I  shall  then  be  changed  into  a  man."  There- 
fore the  general  went  to  Huangti  and  told  him  to  do 
this.  Kao  Hsing  was  pleased  to  do  it,  therefore  he 
called  his  general  to  bring  the  dog  into  his  palace. 

Then  he  put  this  dog  on  a  great  tray,  and  he  put  the 
measure  on  top  of  him,  and  then  put  the  whole  into  a 
great  basket,  and  suspended  it  from  a  very  high  place  to 
wait  till  the  seven  times  forty  days  were  finished. 

Before  the  set  time,  only  forty-five  days,  because  the 
heavens  were  constantly  sending  down  rain,  the  thunder 
was  very  great.  The  Empress  was  much  frightened, 
and  thought  that  as  this  dog  for  all  these  days  had  noth- 
ing to  eat  he  would  certainly  die ;  therefore  she  ran  and 
opened  up  the  basket  to  see  if  the  dog  was  alive.  But 
the  dog  was  alive;  his  whole  body  had  changed  except 
his  head,  and  that  was  because  the  limit  of  the  time  had 
not  come,  therefore  he  was  not  wholly  changed.  Now 
there  is  no  help  for  it!  Kao  Hsing  Huangti's  daughter 
must  be  given  him  to  wife,  to  this  dog-headed  man  in  the 
basket!  But  this  creature  was  not  good  to  look  at, 
therefore  they  took  a  cloth  and  flung  it  over  his  head  with 
the  idea  of  covering  up  his  shame. 

Even  to  the  present  days,  with  these  North 
Mountain  women,  in  front  of  their  coiffure  there  is  a 
tassel  which  is  to  explain  about  the  cloth  covering  the 
head.  Therefore  all  their  life  long  they  cannot  change 
this  coiffure.  If  they  do  change  they  do  so  by  chang- 
ing their  husbands,  therefore  their  coiffure  is  never 
changed.  At  the  present  time  when  the  Central  King- 
dom celebrates  the  New  Year,  these  people  draw  upon 
large  charts  the  figure  of  a  dog  and  worship  it,  and  say 
that  it  is  their  ancestor  who  was  victorious  over  the 
Western  Kingdom  Emperor,  and  the  officials  of  the 
Central  Kingdom  cannot  control  them.  These  moun- 
tain people  plant  tea  and  sweet  potatoes,  and  make 
brooms.  At  the  present  time  in  the  earth,  persons  who 
bear  the  surnames  Lei,  Chung,  Lang,  Pan,  these  four 
surnames,  belong  to  the  descendants  of  this  dogl   These 


Dog  Worshippers — from  the  mountains  near  Foochow. 


Photo  by  Dr.  Kinnear. 

Head-dress  of  a  Dog-worshipping  Aboriginal. 


LET  THB  DUCK   DRKSS  TO  KILL.   FLAT  FOREVKK  STAYS   HKK   BILL 

people  of  the  Northern  Hills  have  a  language  of  their 
own.  Now  many  have  changed  by  having  been 
instructed,  have  learned  to  read  and  speak  Chinese 
native  dialect.  But  they  will  not  marry  Foochow 
natives.  Days  of  moon,  feasts,  all  correspond  to  those 
of  Foochow  people. 

Signed:  Ch'ien  Hsuang  Shen. 

Unfortunately  this  picturesque  legend  does  not  help 
us  much,  for  it  belongs  to  only  some  four  hundred 
years  ago.  When  we  have  to  investigate  the  origin  of 
the  Sioux  and  the  Ossawatomies,  something  may  per- 
haps be  done  with  the  legends  gathered  by  Catlin  or 
versified  by  Longfellow;  but  the  Smithsonian  is  showing 
us  a  better  way  in  studying  the  live  Hopi  Indians  and 
comparing  with  the  remains  of  extinct  races.  No  such 
critical  work  has  been  done  on  these  aborigines  of  Fu- 
kien,  and  all  we  can  do  is  to  turn  to  the  records 
from  the  Chinese  side  as  gathered  in  the  year  of  the 
American  Revolution. 

As  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti  destroyed  all  the  cumbrous 
wooden  records  before  his  time,  nothing  of  any  earlier 
date  is  particularly  reliable,  unless  it  happens  to  be 
connected  with  the  life  of  Confucius,  around  whom 
clustered  many  stories  as  veracious  as  that  of  Washing- 
ton's hatchet.  It  is  said  that  before  his  time  there  was 
a  town  here  called  Chek  Min,  but  that  more  probably 
was  a  vague  name  applied  to  anything  beyond  the  Yel- 
low River  basin.  But  when  the  sage  flourished,  about 
500  B.C.,  the  Chinese  knew  as  much  about  this  district 
or  town  as  the  average  American  knows  about  Monte- 
negro. Six  generations  later  there  were  seven  civilised 
governments,  the  last  being  the  petty  state  of  Lu  in 
which  the  sage  had  lived.  A  sort  of  robber  baron 
named  Usk,  like  Drake  or  Raleigh,  exploring  from  the 


60  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

kingdom  of  Ch'u  some  seven  generations  later,  pene- 
trated as  far  as  here  along  the  coast,  and  established 
himself  as  a  kind  of  Rajah  Brooke,  being  at  last  recog- 
nised by  his  former  king.  He  built  his  castle  where 
the  examination  hall  for  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts 
stood.  But  with  the  advent  of  the  great  Ch'in  Shih 
Huang  Ti,  this  whole  realm  became  subjugated. 

With  the  fall  of  Ch'in's  Napoleonic  empire,  when 
the  China  of  the  Yellow  River  basin  split  into 
three,  one  of  which  was  under  the  Han  dynasty,  202 
B.C.  to  24  A.D.,  this  realm  became  independent  again, 
but  with  the  new  name  U  Cu.  One  of  the  three  hills 
of  the  city,  already  famous  because  on  the  ninth  day  of 
the  ninth  moon  the  kings  of  Uok  had  held  a  festival — 
still  observed  by  kite-flying — now  became  the  abode  of 
three  brothers  called  Ho,  whose  philanthropy  made 
them  gratefully  remembered.  Also  in  these  historical 
times  nine  men  came  from  a  distance  and  lived  here  near 
the  well  Dang-cang,  making  pills;  these  they  fed  to 
certain  fish  called  Li,®  which  thereupon  grew  into 
dragons  on  whose  backs  the  nine  men  rode  away.  Ever 
since,  the  natives  call  this  Nine-fairy  Hill,  though  for- 
eigners rather  style  it  Temple  Hill. 

Under  the  After  Han  dynasty,  this  region  was  for 
the  second  time  subjugated;  but  it  formed  part  of  a 
coastal  kingdom  called  Wu,  whose  capital  was  in 
Kiangsu.  Then  about  300  a.d.  we  find  the  city  re- 
named Ceng-ang-gong.  One  hundred  and  fifty  years 
later  the  Nine-fairy  Hill  became  the  residence  of  a  Mr. 
Chen,  who  was  the  best  scholar  of  the  Empire,  and 
who  accumulated  a  splendid  library,  including  the 
"  Doctrine  of  the  Whole  Universe,"  in  540  volumes, 
whence  the  hill-top  is  sometimes  called  Doctrine  Hill. 
Among  the  36   (6  times  6)  wonderful  things  on  this 

•Carp. 


^wtm%nmm  " 


A    TIOKH   TKLLINO   BBADS 


eminence  is  a  rock  showing  large  foot-prints  attributed 
to  the  Buddha,  who  may  have  become  known,  here  by 
this  time. 

In  589  A.D.,  all  the  different  kingdoms  were  reunited 
after  four  centuries,  but  the  capital  of  the  whole  Empire 
was  fixed  far  away  to  the  northJ  Great  attention  was 
now  paid  to  literature  and  education,  and  the  annals  of 
the  past  were  gathered  up.  It  was  under  the  famous 
T'ang  dynasty  that  the  name  Foochow  first  appeared, 
about  713  A.D.  And  now  Buddhism  became  very 
aggressive,  of  which  there  are  many  local  signs.  On 
Black  Rock  Hill  is  a  spot  called  Hua-ngieng-ngang, 
where  a  monk  used  to  sit  and  read  his  book;  one  night 
in  a  thunderstorm  the  rock  was  split,  but  it  fell  so  as 
to  form  a  cave  wherein  the  monk  continued  to  read  in 
peace.  Another  place  is  named  Buddha's  Altar 
though  the  Golden  Harvest  Temple  once  there  has  fal- 
len to  ruin.  Another  great  rock  stands  now  where 
a  monk  built  a  brick  cell,  but  because  he  was  a  wine- 
drinker  the  people  heard  a  great  crash  one  night  and 
found  the  boulder  there  next  morning.  Another  tale 
of  this  era  relates  to  a  cave  four  miles  east  of  the  city, 
where  a  wood-cutter  pursued  a  white  deer;  here  he 
found  a  dog  with  its  owner,  who  declared  he  had  crept 
thither  to  avoid  the  calamities  of  the  Ch'u  State,  a 
thousand  years  earlier!  He  gave  to  the  wood-cutter  a 
pomegranate  branch  in  flower;  but  when  the  wood- 
cutter sought  him  again  the  troglodyte  had  gone — 
probably  to  join  the  Seven  Sleepers  of  Ephesus.  A 
more  trustworthy  memento  of  this  age  is  the  Black 
Pagoda,  built  to  celebrate  the  birthday  of  an  Emperor 
who  reigned  in  780  a.d.  About  a  century  later  it  was 
matched  by  a  man  from  the  East  who  built  the  White 

'At  Ch'ang-an,  the  modern  Sianfu  in  Shensi. 


62  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

Pagoda  to  honour  his  parents.  He  called  it  by  an 
epithet  of  the  Buddha,  "  Fixed  Light,"  and  because  a 
pearl  of  great  brilliancy  appeared  during  its  erection  it 
was  often  called  Pao-t'a;  "  Precious  Pile  "  is  a  common 
name  for  the  pagoda.  The  structure  is  of  brick  and 
plaster,  in  seven  stories,  261  feet  high,  and  has  needed 
only  slight  repairs  recently.  Hard  by  is  a  monastery 
with  several  score  of  monks,  dependent  on  the  great 
establishment  at  Kushan. 

With  the  fall  of  the  T'ang  dynasty,  China  broke 
into  eight  pieces,  and  this  district  reasserted  its  inde- 
pendence, under  a  king  of  Min,  for  nearly  a  century. 
The  house  of  Sung,  however,  reunited  the  whole,  ruling 
first  in  the  north,  then  at  Nanking  and  at  Hangchow. 
The  most  interesting  sign  of  progress  in  their  reign  was 
a  great  bridge  across  the  river,  though  the  present  struc- 
ture is  of  later  date. 

After  the  drowning  of  the  last  Sung  Emperor  there 
was  no  further  opposition  to  the  rule  of  the  Mongols, 
who  ruled  at  this  time  from  the  Pacific  to  Hungary. 
Kublai  Khan  was  ambitious  to  annex  even  Japan,  and 
sent  an  armada  with  100,000  troops;  but,  as  with 
Napoleon's  army  in  Egypt,  the  fleet  which  took  them 
was  utterly  destroyed,  and  the  Japanese  wore  down  the 
army,  ultimately  slaying  aU  but  10,000  men  from  this 
province  of  Fukien,  with  whom  they  had  had  some 
previous  commerce,  so  that  they  only  enslaved  them. 

These  Tatar  rulers  conferred  a  great  benefit  on  the 
city.  The  bridge  estates  had  come  into  the  possession 
of  a  Buddhist  monastery,  and  the  Emperor  bade  the 
monks  rebuild  the  bridge.  Apparently  till  his  day 
there  were  only  boats  moored  together,  over  which  men 
walked,  and  often,  owing  to  floods,  "  the  ropes  would 
give  way  and  the  boats  would  sink,  and  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  people,  a  great  many  of  them,  would 
drown."    Now  there  was  a  Buddhist  monk  here  of 


r 


The  white  Pagoda,  Foochow. 


A  PIRATR   SATINQ   PRAYBSS   rOR  THB   DEAD 

merit,  son  of  a  farmer,  whose  wife  before  his  birth 
"  obtained  a  very  unnatural  dream."  The  son  at  the 
age  of  only  twelve  turned  monk  and  devoted  himself 
to  study.  Nor  did  he  limit  himself  to  books,  for  he 
noticed  how  the  waters  come  down  and  surround  the 
city  on  three  sides,  and  he  often  warned  the  boatmen 
of  floods  or  hurricanes  that  were  coming,  and  often 
wished  to  see  a  better  bridge.  In  1324  a.d.,  the  provin- 
cial treasurer  memorialised  the  Mongol  Emperor,  who 
gave  leave  to  open  a  public  subscription,  which  was 
liberally  responded  to,  both  in  cash  and  in  labour.  The 
monk  planned  to  have  twenty-eight  stone  piers,  so  as 
to  lay  twenty-nine  roadways;  before  the  work  was 
complete  he  died,  but  his  apprentice  Wu  finished  the 
whole,  making  a  massive  bridge  more  than  170  tens  of 
feet  long,  and  putting  a  stone  parapet  along  the  side. 
The  funds  permitted  also  a  temple  and  a  rest-house  at 
either  end,  with  the  inscription  on  a  tablet,  "  Myriad 
Ages  Bridge."  So  excellent  was  the  work  that  only 
twice  has  it  needed  any  extensive  overhauling. 

The  later  history  of  Foochow  would  seem  to  have 
been  somewhat  commonplace,  though  the  compilation 
in  our  year  of  Glorious  Independence  records  a  list  of 
168  calamities..  But  the  annalist  sets  down  in  sequence 
how  in  the  sixth  year  of  Chinese  independence  there 
was  an  earthquake,  and  there  was  a  heavy  fall  of  snow ; 
that  another  year  mountain  bandits  overran  the  pro- 
vince, that  a  typhoon  flooded  out  the  city,  that  an  earth- 
quake was  due  to  a  dragon  from  the  eastern  seas  burrow- 
ing under  the  city,  that  plum-trees  produced  peaches, 
that  the  wife  of  the  commandant  bore  two  sons  and  two 
daughters  at  once,  that  the  city  was  devastated  by  fire, 
that  electric  fire  fell  and  white  clouds  of  air  ascended 
like  great  swords,  that  a  comet  appeared  in  1698  a.d., 
etc.  etc. 


64  ARRIVAL  AND  EXPLORATION 

On  the  whole,  nothing  particular  seems  to  have  hap- 
pened till  we  get  within  living  memory.  The  French 
raid  has  been  mentioned  already;  here  is  one  of  its 
sequels,  as  recorded  on  a  tablet  in  the  North  Tower: 

"  A  Record  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  Watch-Sea 
Tower  in  the  Reign  of  Kuang  Hsii.  Composed 
by  Hsieh  Chang  Ting  of  Chang  Loh,  and  written 
by  Chen  Pao  Chen  of  Mi  hsien." 

The  composer  of  the  inscription  has  since  been 
called  to  a  high  position  in  Peking. 

The  inflow  of  Western  ideas  may  be  seen  by  an 
inscription  recently  put  on  a  boulder  high  on  the  Black 
Rock  Hill.  We  think  the  habit  of  scribbling  on  promi- 
nent stones  to  be  rather  a  Western  fashion,  though 
indeed  it  is  as  old  as  Abu  Simbel  up  the  Nile  and  the 
Greek  mercenaries  on  a  tour.  But  here  now  in  the 
Far  East  are  signs  of  two  men  having  climbed  the  hill 
to  admire  the  prospect,  the  river  bursting  from  between 
the  Drum  mountain  and  the  Flag  mountain,  the  sun 
about  to  rise  into  a  world  already  flushed  with  dawn : 

"  The  hills  like  Flag  and  Drum  broken  open. 
The  river  from  Hung  Dong  flowing  down. 
The  sea-sun,  risen  or  not  risen? 
A  man  has  risen  just  at  the  death  of  night. 

"  In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Kuang  Hsii,  2nd  day,  1 2th 
moon,  21st  year,  Ch'en  Hsiao  and  Liu  Hsiao-Lai,  cross-legged  on 
the  summit  of  Black  Rock  Hill." 

But  perhaps  as  significant  as  aught  else  is  the  fact 
that  the  boulder  these  two  Alpinists  chose  to  embellish 
is  an  altar ;  the  old  religion  must  be  effete  if  they  dared 
thus  desecrate  its  symbols. 


FoocHow  Field  Woman. 


1 


North  Tower,  Foochow. 
In  foreground  are  charnas  to  protect  the  city  from  fires. 


vft  m  M  'ii>  7;  «5 

OILY    WORDS.    BCT  A   KNIFB   HEAR1 

PART  II.— POETRY  AND  POPULAR  PROSE 

From  inscriptions  we  turn  to  investigate  the  poetical 
anthology,  for  good  poetry  is  independent  of  local  tastes 
and  has  something  universal  in  it.  There  follow  three 
sets  of  verses  that  deal  with  the  world-wide  relation- 
ships of  son  and  mother,  bride  and  bridegroom,  mother 
and  babe. 

See!     The  autumn  leaves  are  falling. 
List!     The  north  birds'  loudly  calling; 

Swift  their  southern  flight. 
Dread  the  mountain's  winter  bareness. 
Robbed  of  summer's  leafy  fairness. 

Chilled  by  dreary  night. 
Filial  son  comes  forth  undaunted. 
Myriad  miles,  all  vision-haunted, 

With  his  mother's  face. 
Food-pack  weighted,  see  a  stranger 
Armed  for  hunger,  cold  and  danger. 

Footsteps  homeward  trace. 
See  the  gentle  mother,  bending 
O'er  her  needle,  swiftly  wending 

Back  and  forth  all  day; 
Winter  coat  will  soon  be  waiting. 
Pitiful  to  hear  her  saying 

"  Will  he  come  to-day?  " 
At  the  gate  her  hopes  are  bright'ning. 
Through  the  mist  the  sun  is  lighting 

Incense-burner  hill. 
Hungry  mother  bird  with  birdling. 
Hover  near,  glad  omen  stirring 

Heart  that  hopeth  still. 

Chek  Sho  Chi. 


66  POETRY  AND  POPULAR  PROSE 

Next,  what  girls  sing  outside  the  bride-chamber: 

Lift  high  the  bridal  coronet, 
Upgleams  good  fortune's  radiant  jet. 
Uplift  the  crown,  uplift  it  high, 
A  house  and  farm  they  soon  shall  buy. 

Right  good!  Right  good! 
Long  life  with  jewels  and  gold. 
Riches  and  honour,  glory  untold. 

Feed  the  bridegroom  chicken  breast; 
Happy  father,  soon  he's  blest. 
Feed  the  bridegroom  chicken  back. 
House  nor  palace  shall  he  lack. 
Right   good!     Right  good! 
Honey  and  sugar,  sugar  and  honey. 
Husband  and  wife,  children  and  money. 

And  last,  the  lullaby  with  which  baby  boys  are  sung 
to  sleep: 

Aw-aw-loo;    bedroom   fairies   hasten    near, 
Mr.   Thief,   Mistress   Thief,   disappear; 
Aw-aw-lo-oo,  fast  asleep,  sweetly  asleep. 

The  almond  flower  is  a  favourite  in  Chinese  art.  In 
form  and  colour  it  is  like  the  plum  blossom,  from  which 
it  could  not  be  distinguished  but  for  its  marvellous  frag- 
rance, seeming  to  contain  the  sweetness  of  every  other 
flower.  It  is  the  first  tree  to  blossom  at  the  opening  of 
the  Chinese  year,  usually  late  in  January  or  in  Febru- 
ary. The  gray  skies  of  the  rainy  season  bring  relief 
from  the  intense  sun  of  the  south,  and  the  universal 
leisure  of  this  longest  holiday  of  the  year  gives  oppor- 
tunity for  walks  and  visits.  Not  only  is  the  Chinese 
New  Year  the  gala  season  but  it  is  the  chief  time  for 
worship,  and  the  almond  flower  is  an  offering  in  every 
temple  and  at  each  family  shrine.     It  is  only  to  be 


«  ffi  'a  #  ^  «T 

rKABLS    WRAPPED    UP    IN    RAGS 

expected  then  that  this  should  call  forth  the  muse.  But 
unlike  the  real  Chinese  poems  that  go  before,  this  which 
follows  is  the  composition  of  Miss  Emily  Susan  Hart- 
well,  daughter  of  the  distinguished  missionary: 

THE  ALMOND   FLOWER 

Sweet  almond  flower. 
Fairer  than  lovely  May  days. 

Thy   petals   shower 
F airiest,  ferny  byways. 

Beneath  gray  skies, — 
Winter's  dull,  dreary  gloaming, — 

Thou  dear  surprise, 
Joy  of  glad  New  Year's  roaming! 

Sweet  violet. 
Sweeter  than  all  the  roses. 

Quaint  mignonette. 
Dearest  of  old-time  posies; 

Not  one  so  fair. 
Spicy  or  sweet  as  thou  art. 

Oh,  almond  rare. 
New  Year's  own  winsome  sweetheart. 

Pagoda   tall. 
Mounted  as  city  warden. 

Ancestral  hall. 
Temple  with  stately  garden. 

Crown  thee  divine. 
Fragrance  of  their  oblation;  ... 

On  each  dim  shrine 
Breathest  thou  adoration. 

So  far  we  have  looked  at  the  standard  literature,  the 
kind  prescribed  for  examinations  and  analysed  in  dreary 
guides  till  any  real  beauty  it  contains  is  overlaid  in  the 
scholar's  iriirid  by- endless  prosing  about  metaphor  ^nd 


68  POETRY  AND  POPULAR  PROSE 

simile,  anapaest  and  dactyl,  lyric  and  epic  and  dramatic. 
Reflect  a  little  on  our  own  literature.  Which  sell  bet- 
ter, Chaucer's  "  Canterbury  Tales,"  Milton's  "  Areopa- 
gitica,"  Shakespeare's  "  Hamlet,"  and  Longfellow's 
poems,  or  Rider  Haggard's  "King  Solomon's  Mines," 
and  Dick  Dead  wood's  "  Bloody  Pirate  of  the  Gory 
Main?  '*  Some  of  these  may  compel  recognition  from 
the  professor  of  literature,  some  deserve  it;  but  it  is  not 
amiss  to  see  what  the  book-stall  really  holds,  and  what 
the  street  Arab  actually  reads.  Much  is  in  doggerel 
rhyme  and  is  chanted  by  the  ballad-singer;  irony  is 
found  in  some,  fun  in  most. 

During  our  walk  along  the  most  important  thorough- 
fare connecting  the  Bridge  of  a  Myriad  Ages  and  the 
South  Gate  of  the  city,  I  saw  a  chair  coolie  reading  a 
book  while  he  was  sitting  on  a  slab  bench  in  a  shop. 
He  had  one  bare  leg  over  the  other,  and  was  bent 
nearly  double  through  the  interest  his  mind  was  finding 
in  the  composition.  I  asked  him  for  the  book,  a  few 
cash  affair  of  some  thirty  leaves,  paid  him  ten  times 
its  worth,  marked  the  place,  and  brought  it  along.  The 
cover  carries  the  curious  date :  "  A  lucky  day  of  the 
Plum  Moon  (10th)  of  the  First  Original  Year  of  Dif- 
fusive Entirety  (Emperor).  This  is  Vol.  I,  and  is 
divided  into  seven  books,  which  in  turn  are  split  into 
short  sections  on  various  subjects.  The  whole  is 
entitled,  "  The  Property  of  the  Plain,  or.  The  Crab 
Apple  TlcfWer.^*    The  genieral  idea  is  as  follows : 

The  Cbab  Apple  Flo^vee. 

In  the  reign  of  K'ien  Lung  a  minister  was  sent 
abroad  to  represent  the  throne.  A  beautiful  and  frag- 
rant blossom  was  presented  to  him  by  the  king  of  the 
foreign  lands.  On  the  return  of  the  minister  he  pre- 
sented this  rare  and  fragrant  flower  to  the  Emperor's 
mothfer.    Aftel*  a  time  aji  enemy  circulated  a  stoly 


jj. 


A  CHICKEN    COOP   COVERED  WITH   CLOTH   OF  GOLD 

that  the  minister  had  received  bribes,  and  in  return  sold 
his  country  to  the  foreigners.  This  tale  nearly  brought 
the  minister  to  death. 

The  coolie  had  opened  the  book  where  the  Empress 
mother  was  saying  to  the  Emperor : 

"  Why  art  thou  raging  thus  my  son 

What  angers  thee  to-day  ?  " 
"  My  minister  this  wrong  has  done. 

Our  country  sold,  they  say." 

"  But  stay,  my  son,   for  him   I   plead. 

His  innocence  I'll  tell. 
And  prove  he  should  be  freed 

His  priceless  flower  he  would  not  sell 
But  brought  it  unto  me. 

So  let  thy  mother  claim  thy  grace. 
And  find  the  enemy. 

To  perish  in  his  place." 

On  the  next  page  the  enemy  has  been  found  and  he 
bemoans  his  fate,  saying: 

"  How  could  I  know  the  Empress  cared 
To  entertain  this  case. 
Had  I  but  guessed  I  had  not  dared 
To  enter  on  the  race! 

"  And  now  to  death  I  soon  must  go, 
Ai-ah  my  wretched  fate. 
Dread  misery  and  torment  now 
Do  chase  the  heels  of  hate." 

These  story-books  were  originally  written  for  the 
purpose  of  deterring  people  from  committing  the  nine 
crimes;  but  they  took  so  much  space  in  describing  the 
manner  of  perpetration  that  they  gained  popularity  with 


70       POETRY  AND  POPULAR  PROSE 

the  more  violent  classes  as  a  means  of  discovering  how 
to  commit  crimes  instead  of  avoiding  them.  They  are 
now,  therefore,  looked  upon  with  disfavour  by  the  bet- 
ter classes,  like  the  yellow  novels  which  are  read  only  by 
the  coolie  class  of  Americans. 

Here  Come  the  Nine  Crimes  and  One  More 

1.  To  sell  land  to  an  enemy.  2.  To  deceive  the 
Emperor  and  despise  the  sages.  3.  To  rob  a  soldier  of 
his  rations.  4.  To  sell  an  official  title.  5.  To  open  a 
private  pawnshop.  6.  To  be  lazy  in  guarding  the  sea- 
coast.  7.  To  keep  back  the  Emperor's  perquisites.  8. 
To  hold  a  theatre  for  ten  days  (three  is  the  regular 
time).  9.  To  steal  people's  hearts.  To  wreak  ven- 
geance on  others. 

The  Story  of  Thirty-six  Mothers-in-law 
(A  book  bought  on  the  street) 

Title,  The  Thirty-six  Mothers-in-law.  New 
Publication ;  complete  edition.  5  pages.  .  .  .  The 
southern  section  mother-in-law,  she  has  red  in  her 
hair.  The  pig-clawed  coiffure  mother-in-law,  she 
is  slow  and  is  from  Hsing  Wha.  The  go-between 
mother-in-law  has  squeaking  shoes  and  all  her  steps 
hurt.  The  convenient  nurse  mother-in-law  leaves 
home  in  the  middle  of  the  cold  night.  The  stingy 
mother-in-law  wants  all  kinds  of  things,  even  a  pail 
of  water.  Carriers  of  presents  on  occasions  of 
marriages  and  burials  are  mothers-in-law  from  Lien 
Kiang.  The  mountain  region  mother-in-law  is 
unable  to  speak  plainly.  The  dirty  old  mother-in- 
law  dribbling  at  the  nose  is  not  ashamed  of  the 
fact.  The  smallpox  mother-in-law  covers  her 
ugliness  with  powder.  The  mother-in-law  fond  of 
eating  and  dress  is  the  sorrow  of  the  family.  The 
Canton  mother-in-law  is  small-footed  and  nice. 
The     fortune-telling     mother-in-law     takes     an 


»m^z^^  *» 


GETS   HOT   BUT   DOES   NOT   SWEAT 


umbrella  on  a  clear  day.  The  mother-in-law  who 
serves  the  uncivilised  foreigner  wears  a  long  gown. 
The  leprous  mother-in-law  was  evil  in  a  former  age. 
The  mother-in-law  on  the  street  who  cried,  "  Great 
official  and  young  master,"  is  seeking  for  a  bite  of 
bread.  The  Soochow  mother-in-law  is  beautiful  to 
look  at.  The  mountain  mother-in-law  who  comes 
into  the  city  is  unwilling  to  return.  The  wicked  old 
mother-in-law  reviles  people  in  unmentionable 
ways.  The  ferry-boat  mother-in-law  is  slick 
beyond  compare.  The  theatrical  mother-in-law 
and  the  bawd  are  of  one  class.  The  airing,  jang- 
ling mother-in-law  is  under  the  banner  [she  is  a 
Manchu]. 

So  on  the  whole  the  Chinese  can  be  as  vulgar  as  any 
educated  Westerner. 

But  on  the  book-stalls  may  be  found  something  more 
serious  than  Komic  Kuts  and  Penny  Dreadfuls. 

PART  III.— MEDICAL  FOO 

If  the  trading  section  of  the  community  deserves 
attention,  surely  the  professions  must  not  be  overlooked. 
Here  is  the  advertisement  of  one  physician  of  renown: 

"  Nine  Days  Hill.  In  the  palace  of  the  idol 
named  Teacher  Lu.  In  this  palace  the  incense 
days  are  the  first,  third,  fifth,  ninth,  fifteenth,  nine- 
teenth, and  twenty-fourth  of  each  moon.  On  these 
days  the  doors  are  open,  wind  and  rain  not  chang- 
ing the  dates.  Operations  begin  before  noon.  '  On 
the  afternoon  of  the  third  there  is  opportunity  to 
diagnose,  otherwise  the  purpose  is  medicinal.  Now 
all  good  people,  and  all  who  can  believe  in  us,  who 
desire  to  have  diagnoses,  must  come  early  and  make 
their  marks,  then  respectfully  prepare  the  incense 
and  candles,  as  also  the  paper  on  which  is  written 
the  petition  to  the  Magic  Pen,  and  the  Fee." 


7«  MEDICAL  FOO 

This  seemed  too  good  an  opportunity  to  be  lost,  as 
it  was  the  nineteenth  of  the  ninth  moon  of  the  Chicken 
Year  of  the  idol  Tai  Shin  in  Hades.  As  I  refused  to  fill 
up  the  schedule  about  moon,  day,  and  hour  of  birth,  the 
Magic  Pen  had  no  chance  of  turning  up  my  record,  or 
of  coming  to  see  if  his  prescription  was  taken.  But  he 
diagnosed  as  follows: 

"  This  is  for  your  information.  The  fire  of  the 
body  is  in  the  liver ;  the  wood  fire  is  too  great  within 
you,  the  gas  in  the  central  part  of  the  body  is  con- 
fined. Such  is  the  diagnosis.  The  cause  of  the 
trouble  is  that  you  have  eaten  too  much  broiled  food 
and  dry  food.  Now  for  treatment:  Full-grown 
roses  with  the  petals  removed;  little  sea  shell-fish 
three  tenths  of  an  ounce ;  white  rice  three  tenths  of 
an  ounce ;  small  sweet  oranges  two ;  buds  of  wheat 
three  twentieths  of  an  ouncej  black  beans  three 
tenths  of  an  ounce;  fragrant  pills  eight  hundredths 
of  an  ounce;  dried  small  oranges  four  hundredths 
of  an  ounce  (to  stop  the  pain) ;  root  of  Hook  Ling 
three  tenths  of  an  ounce;  sweet  grass  five  hun- 
dredths of  an  ounce.  Take  also  three  slips  of 
charm  yellow  paper  whereon  are  fairy  characters 
in  vegetable  red,  to  be  cooked  with  the  medicine." 

No  directions  were  given  as  to  how  many  doses 
this  constituted. 

After  consulting  the  Dragon  Head  Magic  Pen,  I 
found  good  reason  to  doubt  the  accuracy  of  the 
diagnosis  and  the  propitiousness  of  the  prescription. 
As  my  liver  was  actually  out  of  order,  I  straightway 
set  my  course  for  the  skilful  Surgeon  Kinnear,  at  the 
American  Board  Hospital,  who  prescribed  in  a  very 
satisfactory  manner.  Here,  then,  on  the  same  Nine 
Days  Hill  are  these  two  competing  medical  establish- 
ments, one  founded  on  pure  philanthropy  and  science, 


« Itfi  «g «  w 

BB  DRAWS   A   SERPENT   WITH   FEET 

the  other  an  unadulterated  fraud  resting  for  success  on 
the  gullibility  of  the  populace,  who  are  attached  to  real 
superstition  and  ignorance.  On  the  side  of  the  opera- 
tors of  the  Magic  Pen  may  be  found  none  other  than 
men  who  want  money  and  will  get  it  by  any  means 
which  will  let  them  evade  both  the  law  and  the  ire  of  an 
outraged  public  sentiment. 

Finding  that  the  instruments  used  by  Dr.  Kinnear 
were,  in  spite  of  "the  damp  and  steamy  atmosphere," 
as  the  fat  Richard  called  it,  in  really  first-class  condi- 
tion; that  here  was  an  American  physician  and  surgeon 
of  rare  skill  and  perfect  date;  that  even  without  the 
buildings  which  he  needs  for  his  sane  and  Christian 
propaganda  (which  would  be  quickly  supplied  if  one 
or  two  wealthy  Americans  could  but  stay  as  long  in 
Foochow  as  I  have)  he  yet  does  a  prodigious  amount 
of  satisfactory  work — finding  all  this  decided  me  to 
look  into  this  Yankee  fabric  for  medication. 

Now  I  am  free  to  say  that  I  have  not  found  any 
two  reports  of  human  operations  as  interesting  as  this 
of  the  foreign  doctor  of  the  Nine  Fairies  Hill,  Foo- 
chow, and  that  of  the  American  Life-saving  Service. 
Indeed  what  life-saving  devices  will  overshadow  these 
two,  one  on  each  side  of  the  earth,  and  one  on  either 
shore  of  the  vast  Pacific  Ocean?  I  will  proceed  to 
quote  from  the  former.  The  tales  are  plain,  unvar- 
nished, and  could  not  be  improved,  according  to  my 
taste,  by  any  amount  of  polish!  I  like  this  man  Kin- 
near,  his  methods,  his  medicine,  and  his  message! 

On  the  first  page  of  "  The  Year  Ending  Jan.  31, 
1909,"  report,  he  says,  "  During  eleven  months  of  the 
year  we  gave  17,851  treatments,  of  which  something 
over  6,000  were  women  and  children.  The  great 
pleasure  that  we  have  enjoyed  in  doing  the  work,  and 


74  MEDICAL  FQO 

its  successful  results  in  both  medical  and  spiritual  ways, 
are  proofs  that  the  best  things  do  not  depend  upon 
externals  of  any  kind,  buildings  included.  It  has  been 
the  happiest  year  of  the  work  that  we  have  ever  done." 
This,  too,  when  he  has  no  sitting-room;  for  the  second 
illustration  shows  the  modern  operating-table  in  the 
private  residence  of  the  physician's  family,  and  occupy- 
ing the  sitting-room  I  He  has  no  hospital,  but  must 
deprive  himself  of  even  a  sitting-room.  But  the  report 
tells  simply  how  he  rests !  Indeed,  he  does  not  seem  to 
have  much  use  for  a  "  sitting-room,"  even  in  the  hot 
summer  months !  "  The  hot  season  was  spent,  as  usual, 
at  Sharp  Peak  Island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Min  River, 
and  about  thirty  miles  from  Foochow.  It  seems 
enough  of  an  out-of-the-way  place  to  allow  one  to  have 
a  rest  from  medical  work,  but,  as  usual,  there  were  from 
ten  to  twenty  cases  a  day,  so  that  the  total  for  the  time 
spent  there  was  478.  This  number,  while  not  large, 
was  enough  to  keep  us  in  mind  of  the  fact  that  having 
the  talent  of  medical  knowledge  puts  us  under  obliga- 
tions to  use  it  for  the  help  of  our  fellow-men." 

Foochow  does  everything  by  threes.  If  there  are 
hills,  then  we  expect  and  find  three  hills;  and  if  epi- 
demics, expect  and  learn  that  there  were  three 
epidemics,  namely.  Smallpox,  Dysentery,  Cholera! 
And  if  this  were  not  enough  for  the  heroic  doctor  and 
his  equally  heroic  wife,  we  find  that  he  at  times  has 
some  financial  concern!  How  will  church  members 
ever  get  to  heaven  who  allow  this  Christian  physician 
to  "be  anxious  about  the  outcome  of  the  year's  fi- 
nances?" But  this  happy  line  remains,  "A  single 
cheque  at  that  time,  from  a  generous  donor,  removed 
further  need  of  anxiety."  To  that  generous  donor  I 
say,  after  a  stay  of  ten  days  here,  that  should  he  come 
out  and  have  a  look  and  a  hear,  it  would  become  a  fixed 
habit  on  his  part  to  send  a  generous  cheque  each  year! 


A  GOOD   DRUM    DOES   NOT   NEED   A    HEAVY   STICK 

All  ages  are  treated.  "  The  great  pleasure  "  that 
he  enjoyed  consisted  of  such  experiences  as  follows: 

"  A  woman  aged  72,  though  looking  older,  came  with 
the  middle  finger  of  the  right  hand  disorganized  and 
the  bone  dead,  following  a  maltreated  felon.  She  was 
very  garrulous,  and  was  able  to  tell  us  a  lengthy  history 
of  the  treatments  that  the  finger  had  received  during  the 
month  since  the  trouble  had  commenced.  1.  Sword- 
grass  was  soaked  in  urine  and  used  as  a  poultice  three 
nights.  2.  Poulticed  with  salted  cooked  rice  one  night. 
3.  Poulticed  with  salt  jelly-fish  a  day  and  a  night,  chang- 
ing once.  4.  Poulticed  a  day  and  a  night  with  green 
peas  beaten  up  with  honey.  5.  Poulticed  two  nights 
with  pig's  gall,  one  change  of  the  dressing  being  made. 
6.  Two  centipedes  were  wrapped  in  paper,  burned,  and 
powdered,  the  powder  mixed  with  honey  and  sulphur 
to  make  a  paste  and  applied  three  or  four  times.  7.  A 
mixtiu*e  of  snake-grass,  dried  persimmon,  and  ginger- 
root  was  used  four  times  and  somewhat  relieved  the 
pain.  8.  Pig's  gall  mixed  with  sulphur  and  used  once. 
9.  Ginger  and  centipedes  used  again." 

It  is  to  be  expected  that  these  people  will  for  some 
time  to  come  submit  themselves  to  treatment  by  native 
"  old  school "  doctors  and  get  more  harm  than  help 
before  visiting  the  foreign  clinic. 

But  let  us  run  on  in  the  report  of  what  gave  the 
doctor  "  a  good  year." 

"  The  most  extensive  injury  due  to  violence  was  the 
case  of  a  man  who  was  defending  his  fruit  orchards  from 
thieves.  He  had  an  old  gun,  and  one  night  shot  it  to 
drive  thieves  away.  The  breach  of  the  gun  exploded, 
and  a  piece  tore  through  his  lower  jaw  in  front  of  the 
second  molars,  crushing  the  arch  of  the  jaw  into  a  dozen 
fragments,  tearing  the  end  of  the  tongue  and  the  floor 
of  the  mouth  into  shreds,  and  cutting  away  the  left  side 


76  MEDICAL  FOO 

of  the  upper  lip.  This  part  of  the  upper  lip,  the  lower 
hp,  and  chin  were  still  attached  to  the  skin  of  the  neck, 
and  the  whole  flap  was  dropped  down  on  the  neck  as 
though  it  had  been  hinged  to  the  lower  side  of  the  jaw. 
It  made  a  ghastly  looking  wound,  and,  as  the  ferry- 
boats would  not  receive  such  a  looking  person,  it  was  two 
days  before  they  could  get  a  boat  to  bring  him  to  Foo- 
chow.  Diu-ing  the  interval,  the  torn  tissues  commenced 
to  decay,  and  native  medicines  were  applied  which  only 
added  to  the  general  off  ensiveness.  It  is  not  often  that 
we  have  such  an  exceedingly  trying  case  to  clean,  and  it 
required  much  patient  work.  The  students  had  not  seen 
anything  quite  so  foul-smelling,  and  it  made  them  sick 
to  stay  in  the  room  to  help  very  long  at  a  time.  The 
poor  patient  was  tractable  and  endured  the  pain  stoic- 
ally. The  broken  pieces  of  bone  were  removed,  the 
decaying  shreds  of  torn  tissue  were  cut  away,  and  the 
shredded  bits  of  skin  trimmed.  When  after  two  hours' 
work  the  wound  flaps  had  been  cleansed  of  native  medi- 
cines, and  seemed  as  free  from  unpromising  flesh  as 
possible,  it  was  secured  in  place  making  a  serviceable 
mouth." 

This  certainly  was  bloody  enough,  and  exacting 
enough,  to  satisfy  almost  any  practitioner. 

But  here  is  also  an  oculist,  the  same  man  who  has 
no  sitting-room  except  for  standing  purposes: 

"  When  his  number  was  called,  a  brother  and 
another  relative,  one  holding  each  arm,  helped  him  to 
step  over  the  high  Chinese  door-sill.  As  he  moved 
toward  the  table,  it  was  evident  that  he  was  blind.' 
He  had  been  treated  by  native  doctors  for  some  form  of 
eye  disease  a  few  months  before,  and  he  came  two  days* 
journey  from  his  home  for  us  to  see  him.  A  glance 
showed  that  the  right  eye  was  destroyed  beyond  any 
hope  of  recovery,  but  an  upper  segment  of  the  cornea 
of  the  left  eye  was  clear,  and  though  he  could  see  nothing 
he  had  perception  of  light.     That  small  area  of  good 


BE  SLKKFS  IMSIDS  Or  A  DBUM 

cornea  compassed  the  only  chance  the  young  man  had 
of  not  spending  a  life-time  in  darkness.  We  told 
him  this,  and  he  readily  consented  to  the  operation  that 
was  necessary.  Before  we  had  opportunity  to  operate, 
he  urged,  many  times,  that  we  do  what  we  could  for  him. 
When  everything  seemed  promising,  a  new  pupil  was 
made  behind  the  clear  cornea.  It  was  a  perfect  success, 
and  a  few  days  later  when  the  wound  was  entirely  healed 
and  the  dressings  could  be  removed,  he  was  able 
to  see  well  enough  to  do  his  ordinary  work,  that  of  a 
farmer.  There  was  another  side  of  the  case  that  was 
still  more  delightful.  From  the  time  that  he  came  to 
see  us  he  listened  intently  to  the  Gospel  story,  accepted 
it  as  true,  commenced  to  pray,  to  learn  hymns,  and  to 
urge  the  other  patients  to  become  Christians  at  once. 
As  soon  as  his  eye  could  be  used,  he  began  learning  to 
read  the  Testament  and  Hymn-book,  and  with  him  as 
a  leader  a  large  number  of  the  patients  became  learners. 
The  eye  that  was  entirely  blind  was  so  badly  disor- 
ganized that  we  feared  that  it  might  cause  trouble  in 
the  one  that  had  been  saved,  so  he  was  advised  to  have 
it  removed." 

But  I  am  not  unmindful  that  there  are  others  doing 
acceptable  medical  work  here  in  the  name  of  Western 
Christianity.  My  reason  for  using  so  largely  material 
from  one  report  was  that  I  had  personal  experience  of 
treatment  by  the  American  Board  physician  nearest  to 
my  residence  in  the  "  city."  The  "  Threes  "  of  Fcfochow 
continue  to  amazte  me.  There  are  nort  only  three  Pro- 
testant missions,  but  each  has  three  doctors;  that  is, 
the  Methodist  Episcopalian  has  three  physicians,  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  usually  called  the  English, 
has  three  able  practitioners,  and  the  Congregationalist 
three.  Long  may  the  three  Threes  work  together  as 
a  Christian  band,  influencing  the  ancient  city  of  Foo- 
chow  in  the  nfew  eta  that  lies  before  it  I 


Ill 

CANTON 

PART  I.— THE  CITY  OF  THE  GOAT* 

Sitting  on  the  fifth  story  of  the  Five-storied  House, 
we  survey  from  this  high  point  Canton,  the  largest  city 
in  China.  Here  is  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  landscape 
as  we  gaze  southward  off  this  north  wall  of  the  city, 
for  the  house  is  like  Rahab's,  built  on  the  wall,  and  pre- 
sumably convenient  for  smuggling  people  out  in  baskets 
when  the  city  gates  are  watched. 

A  New  Yorker  would  feel  himself  at  home,  for 
there  are  sky-scrapers  in  all  directions.  Nor  are  they 
copied  from  America,  but  are  of  native  growth.  These 
mountainous  erections  are  monts-de-piete,  as  the  lively 
Gaul  would  term  them,  pawnshops  in  our  unflowery 
language.  They  are  safe  deposits  above  ground, 
defended  once  by  stink-pots  on  the  roof,  ready  to  be 
hurled  down  on  the  ascending  pates  of  any  robbers; 
now  the  up-to-date  bomb  has  come  as  the  chief  weapon 
in  reserve.  Pass  by  these  unique  strong-rooms  and 
sweep  the  uneven  horizon  from  east  to  west.  Right 
below  us  is  the  Old  Citj%  like  the  New  Jerusalem  with 
its  twelve  gates.  It  is  a  relic  of  the  past  age,  with  anti- 
quated ideas  of  fortification.  The  lowest  sfory  qf  the 
house  that  gives  us  our  point  of  vantage  is  furnished 
with  a  score  of  ancient  cannon ;  the  only  point  that  towers 
higher  is  crowned  with  the  Goddess  of  Mercy  Fort, 
and  antique  guns  are  mounted  on  platforms  all  around. 
In  the  southwest  of  the  Old  City  are  barracks  for  the 

'  *  So  called  from  five  immortals  who  rode  into  Canton,  under  the  Chou 
dynasty    (ended    about   250   b.c),   upon    five    goats   or    rams.    The   goats 
were  turned  into  stone,  and.may.be  seen  fo  this  day  I-     *«• 
78 


The  Sea  Guard  Tower. 

This  is  situated  in  the  northern  section  of  the  city,  it  is  also  called  "  Watch- 
ing the  Sea  Tower." 

"In  the  time  of  Hung  Wu  Ming,  this  tower  was  built  by  two  men.  It  is 
Five  Stories,  total  height  of  80  feet  (Chinese)  and  is  commonly  spoken  of  as 
'The  Five  Story  Tower.'  From  the  topmost  story  the  view  of  hills  and  trees 
surpasses  the  power  of  the  eye  to  comprehend.  On  the  four  quarters  so 
distant  is  the  horizon  that  the  view  fades  away  into  mist.  Looking  down  the 
sea  may  be  seen.  Elevate  the  eyes  and  there  is  the  appearance  of  the  day 
dawn.  Some  one  has  said  that  after  this  tower  was  built  there  was  no  more 
rebellion  and  therefore  it  is  now  called  'Guardian  of  the  Sea'"  (quoted  from 
an  ancient  history).  "My  teacher  said,  'This  is  all  empty  talk,  it  is  not  true. 
Is  it  not  true  that  the  French  have  a  tower  that  is  1000  feet  high  ?  Do  they 
therefore  expect  to  be  forever  at  peace?    Mere  Words.'  " 


^-m 


79 


WHEN    YOUNO    DON  T  OO   TO  CANTOJT 


Kwangchow  Baeaas  "  Broad  District." 


80  THE  CITY  OF  THE  GOAT 

Tartar  soldiers,  another  relic  of  the  past  age;  much  as 
the  Roman  legions  held  Antonia  above  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  or  poured  out  from  their  stations  to  quell 
the  turbulent  populace  of  Alexandria  in  the  days  of 
Hypatia. 

Groves  of  trees  here  and  there  show  where  the 
government  offices  are  to  be  found  within  the  walls. 
Nearly  due  south  of  us  rises  a  tower  capped  with  glass 
that  flashes  back  brilliant  sun-rays;  within  it  is  a  hoary 
clock  formed  of  jars  through  which  water  drips.^  The 
tower  stands  on  an  arch  some  two  millenniums  old.  At 
its  foot  is  the  Paternoster  Row  of  the  town,  where  all 
the  great  book-stores  are  to  be  found. 

There  are  tokens  of  change  within  the  walls.  Occa- 
sionally the  eye  lights  on  a  house  in  foreign  fashion,  and 
one  great  new  building  challenges  attention.  On  its 
site  once  stood  a  comb  of  cells  where  the  industrious 
students  secreted  essays  to  compete  for  their  old  degrees. 
The  whole  place  has  been  ruthlessly  smoked  out,  and 
now  the  Western  education  for  the  whole  province  of 
Kwangtung  is  centred  on  the  old  site  hallowed  by  the 
use  of  ages.  Yet  the  traditions  of  the  old  classical 
education  linger.  We  examined  a  typical  graduating 
exercise  written  lately  on  the  topic,  "  He  who  has 
the  law  cannot,  according  to  himself,  work  out  his 
destiny."  This  is  the  cheerful  metaphysical  line  of 
study  that  reminds  us  in  its  progi'ess  of  a  kitten  chasing 
its  tail. 

Lift  up  your  eyes  now  and  overlook  the  walls  of 
the  Old  City.  Beyond  it,  nearly  down  to  the  river  bank, 
lies  the  New  City,  like  a  crescent  moon.  Three  great 
gates  from  the  old  lead  into  the  new,  furnished  with 
barbicans ;  two  great  gates  and  six  lesser  ones  open  out 

'These  water-clocks,  or  clepsydras,  seem  to  have  been  used  at  a  very 
early  date.    The  term,  however,  docs  not  occur  in  literature  until  about 

100    B.C. 


V 


HO  MBEDLR  HAS  ▲  FOINT  AT  BOTH  KND8 

on  three  sides.  Through  its  midst  runs  a  creek,  and 
the  wall  is  specially  fortified  above  its  entrance  and  exit. 
Two  curtains  run  down  to  the  main  river  and  complete 
the  ancient  defence. 

But  within  this  annex  there  is  one  building  that 
challenges  attention.  It  is  the  Roman  Catholic  Cathe- 
dral, complete  with  its  two  steeples.  I  have  learned 
enough  of  Chinese  superstition  to  wonder  how  they  got 
leave  to  erect  these  two  towers,  which  surely  affect  the 
propitious  influences  around.  It  was  French  wit  that 
obtained  the  necessary  leave:  "Is  not  this  the  City 
of  the  Goat?  But  where  are  the  horns?  Let  us  put 
them  on  for  you."  Thus  there  arose  towers  which 
compare  favourably  with  the  ubiquitous  pawnshops. 

This  is  the  city  of  commerce.  One  street  is  devoted 
to  jade  stone,  another  to  ivory,  a  third  to  furniture  of 
black  wood.  But  business  has  outgrown  the  walls, 
and  up  the  river  outside  the  fortifications  the  silk- 
weavers  herd.  Theirs  is  a  dying  industry,  for  though 
the  raw  silk  is  still  obtained  freely  in  eight  crops  a  year, 
the  superior  machinery  of  the  West  is  ousting  them 
slowly.  They  still  send  away  piece-goods  to  the  value 
of  £750,000  a  year,  but  the  growers  also  export  raw 
silk  worth  £2,500,000,  and  even  silk  refuse  worth 
another  quarter  of  a  million. 

Beyond  the  silk  district  we  get  a  shock.  What  is 
yonder  caterpillar  crawling  along  as  by  steam  filature? 
Tell  it  not  in  Gath,  publish  it  not  in  the  streets  of 
Askelon,  lest  the  Philistine  triumph.  It  is  a  railway 
and  a  train  of  cars,  heading  away  northward.  Quite  ^^ 
handy,  in  case  of  accidents,  is  Dr.  Mary  Fulton's  most 
wisely  conducted  Medical  College  for  women,  the  first 
in  China.  Next  comes  the  Rice  Mart,  to  which  hun-^^^ 
dreds  of  native  sailing-ships  bring  the  grain  from  the 

6 


82  THE  CITY  OF  THE  GOAT 

Straits  Settlements,  Siam,  Tongking,  and  Hainan; 
for  this  province  cannot  grow  enough  for  its  teeming 
millions. 

v/A  sixty-foot  canal  divides  off  the  Foreign  Conces- 
sion, one-third  French  and  two-thirds  British,  to  which 
two  bridges  give  access.  The  Custom  House  is  natur- 
ally just  beyond,  where  more  than  £420,000  was  col- 
lected last  year.  There  is  the  local  Wall  Street;  most 
properly  all  the  native  banks  are  close  to  the  wall, 
within  and  without.  Off  in  the  river  lies  an  island  that 
raises  a  smile  at  the  slyness  of  the  Chinese  in  the  dawn 
of  European  commerce.  When  the  Dutch  began  to 
supplant  the  Portuguese  in  these  waters,  they  came  and 
settled  on  the  mainland.  The  city  officials  persuaded 
them  that  they  would  be  happier  if  secure  from  the 
importunity  of  beggars  and  free  from  molestation  on 
an  islet  of  their  own.  Once  the  innocent  Dutch  took 
up  their  quarters  on  the  island  they  were  vigorously 
boycotted  as  if  in  an  isolation  hospital,  till  they  took 
the  gentle  hint  and  left  "  Dutch  Folly." 

Nearly  opposite  there  starts  now  the  great  new 
street,  the  Kingsway  of  the  city.    First  comes  the  really 

J  first-class  Medical  Mission  Hospital,  first  of  its  kind  in 
1  the  world.     Soon  after  we  see  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association,  on  ground  once  belonging  to  the  Bap- 

— tist  Mission.  Then  comes  a  great  electric  light  plant, 
built  and  operated  at  first  by  foreigners  but  now 
acquired  and  worked  by  the  Chinese  themselves.     In 

-^  strange  contrast  to  this  novel  enterprise  is  the  throng 
of  bamboo  shops  which  come  next,  before  we  reach  the 
great  works  of  the  new  railroad  to  the  British  settle- 
ment of  Kowloon,  with  offices  and  terminus  beyond. 

Further  east  still  is  the  Mint,  where  last  year  eighty-five 

million  copper  and  silver  pieces  were  coined  for  use  in 
the  southern  provinces,  representing  a  currency  worth 
perhaps   a   million   sterling.     Out   towards   the   open 


A    (   ANTON'    ('.VXAIi 


! 

_   1 

— ^ 
/  i  i  f 

mWSWs^?^^: 

vf 

1 

'      .  v'"?igir       ,^    .,:^S^^ 

1                                       ^^E^^^^£-   ' 

,  1 

Scene  in  Canton. 


TOO   MANY   COOKS   SfOlL  THE   DOG 

country  on  the  southeast  is  the  chief  establishment  of 
the  Baptist  Mission,  with  its  schools. 

Lifting  up  our  eyes  to  get  the  even  more  distant 
background  beyond  Front  Reach,  we  see  the  island  of 
Honam,  some  twelve  miles  long  and  two  wide.^  Oppo- 
site the  Baptist  Mission  is  the  superb  Christian  College, 
well  staffed  by  Chinese  and  Americans  and  doing  work 
officially  recognized  by  the  government.  Next  come 
the  cement  works,  opposite  the  railway  terminus,  where 
the  Germans  have  built  a  splendid  new  kiln  and  taught 
the  Chinese  to  turn  out  every  day  ten  thousand  eight- 
pound  bricks,  which  sell  for  £15.  A  Scotch  firm  has 
built  the  cement  works,  where  the  Germans  will  teach 
the  Chinese  to  produce  five  hundred  casks  daily.  Off 
the  river  frontage  are  many  old  temples,  the  deserted 
residences  of  the  foreign  merchants,  and  a  fine  new 
college  with  several  hundred  students,  founded  by  a 
Hong  Kong  Jew.  Back  on  the  mainland  opposite  the 
west  end  of  Honam  are  clusters  of  foreign  buildings, 
such  as  insane  asylums,  Presbyterian  Missions,  and 
Standard  Oil  tanks. 

Here,  then,  is  our  bird's-eye  view  of  the  city,  a 
most  eclectic  omelet  into  which  many  eggs  have  been 
broken.  Suppose  now  we  descend  the  winding  alleys, 
and,  lest  we  carry  away  too  confused  a  notion  of  all 
there  is  to  see,  let  us  look  out  for  what  shows  the  old 
native  life,  untouched  by  outside  influence.  Then  let 
us  see  how  this  has  been  modified  by  the  foreign  trader. 
And  let  us  study  the  cross-current  produced  by  the 
foreign  missionary. 

*  Opposite  to  this  island  formerly  stood  the  celebrated  foreign  "  Fac- 
tories," so  called  from  being  the  residence  of  factors  or  agents  of  the 
East  India  Company,  and  not  because  anything  was  manufactured  ther& 


84  «  ANCIENT  FOOT  TRACKS  » 

PART  II.— "ANCIENT  FOOT  TRACKS" 

What  sort  of  a  country  is  it  in  itself,  for  the  climate 
and  weather?  The  sunset  the  other  evening  was  the 
most  glorious  that  China  has  ever  shown  me;  and 
rising  early  to  test  the  other  end  of  the  day,  I  see  the 
Light  of  the  Day  rising  majestically  in  a  way  that 
recalls  the  stern  majesty  of  the  wilds  of  the  Bashan  and 
the  purity  of  Everest  in  the  Himalayas.  The  Lower 
Honam  pagoda  stands  up  out  of  the  rice-fields  like  an 
obelisk  from  the  Egyptian  swamps,  while  a  cloud  in 
the  rear  adds  to  the  illusion  by  taking  the  shape  of  a 
pyramid.  Fellahin  splash  water  in  the  fields,  bearing 
it  from  the  trenches  in  bamboo  cups  slung  from  poles. 
The  hum  of  busy  workmen  tells  that  in  this  favoured 
land  even  in  November  they  can  turn  out  to  labour 
before  sunrise,  so  mild  is  the  climate. 

But  as  the  "  Ancient  History  "  noticed,  "  Canton 
is  not  200  li  from  the  open  sea,  whose  tides  are  highest 
in  the  eighth  moon.  Now  in  autumn  hurricanes  are 
common ;  should  one  come  at  high  tide,  houses  are  swept 
oflf,  fields  are  destroyed,  boats  are  thrown  around  and 
reduced  to  pulp."  Or  take  an  extract  from  the  "  His- 
tory of  the  South  Seas  " : 

Canton  is  more  under  the  influence  of  the  male  prin- 
ciple than  of  the  female  [i.e.,  is  more  clear  than  cloudy]. 
In  the  fifth  and  sixth  moons  the  climate  is  very  even,  but 
one  heavy  rain  follows  another  closely.  The  summers 
are  long  and  provoking.  In  spring  when  the  sun  is 
shining  it  is  as  warm  as  in  summer,  but  if  it  rains  it  is 
like  winter.  There  seems  to  be  no  interval  of  pleasant 
weather,  but  little  winter  and  much  summer.  Nor  is 
there  much  distinction  between  spring  and  autumn. 
Winter  has  no  snow;  all  seasons  are  abundantly  damp. 
But  in  winter  the  weather  is  clear  for  longer  than  at 
other  seasons. 


THE   HCKTED   TriSEB  LKAPS   TRB   WALL 

Now  how  came  mankind  to  settle  in  this  region,  so 
beautiful,  so  full  of  adventure?  Turn  to  the  various 
classics,  take  up  the  *'  Ancient  History  of  Canton,"  and 
in  its  fourth  volume  seek  the  heading,  *'  Ancient  Foot 
Tracks."  It  deals  with  the  time  when  civilisation  was 
gathered  in  the  north,  in  the  basin  of  the  Hwangho, 
and  when  the  famous  Chou  dynasty  reigned  over  that 
part,  which  was  the  only  land  that  could  then  be  called 
the  Central  Kingdom.  Here,  facing  south,  was  the 
undeveloped  land  of  the  Tsu,  not  yet  subdued  by  Ch'in 
the  Great.  From  that  period  of  legend  we  expect  a 
history,  a  classic  history,  to  give  us  scientific  fact,  and 
we  get: 

According  to  records  of  the  Chou  dynasty  there 
came  to  Nan  Hai  [i.e.j  the  Southern  Seas]  five  male 
fairies  wearing  five  suits  of  different  colours,  riding  on 
five  goats  of  different  colours.  These  five  fairies  came 
to  the  court  of  Tsu,  each  bearing  in  his  hand  a  stalk  of 
grain  with  six  heads,  which  they  gave  to  the  people, 
saying,  "Dwell  here  in  perpetual  peace,  and  never  know 
famine."  Then  thej'^  disappeared,  but  the  goats  were 
changed  into  stone.  From  this  incident  the  city  is 
knovni  as  the  City  of  Five  Goats,  or  Fairy  City,  or 
Head  of  Grain  City.  And  even  yet  there  may  be  seen 
at  Pu  Shan  a  temple  with  the  images  of  the  five  fairies, 
the  youngest  in  the  centre  holding  a  rice-stalk,  the 
others  bearing  Kaoliang  or  Kaffir  Corn.  In  barbarian 
times  these  were  greatly  adored,  clouds  of  incense  cir- 
cling round  the  heads  of  the  stone  goats  in  front. 
These  are  now  highly  polished  by  the  constant  friction 
of  the  worshippers. 

If  that  story  does  not  satisfy  the  enquiring  mind, 
there  is  an  alternative  in  the  same  antiquarian  records: 


86  "  ANCIENT  FOOT  TRACKS  " 

In  the  days  when  Hai  was  King  of  Chou,  he  said  to 
the  Earl  of  Southern  Tsu,  "  You  should  not  let  the  bar- 
barians of  the  south  arise  in  rebellion."  Whereupon 
this  section  of  the  Southern  Seas  was  committed  to  the 
kingdom  of  Tsu,  and  henceforward  was  known  as 
Kuang  Chou,''  the  Broad  Department.  Then  the 
officials  of  Tsu  were  established  in  power. 

It  is  pleasant  to  find  that  a  classical  education  has 
not  extinguished  all  power  of  independent  thought. 
My  brilliant  friend,  Mr.  Chen,  M.A.,  said  plainly  that 
this  was  mere  empty  talk,  there  being  then  no  writing 
in  this  country,  so  that  no  records  could  be  made ;  these 
tales  are  the  late  invention  of  the  people  from  the  north. 

Let  us  try  further  in  another  work,  called  *'  New 
Words  on  Kwangtung,"  turning  to  the  section  dealing 
with  Products,  the  division  Fishes,  and  the  subdivision 
Dragon: 

Nan  Hai  is  the  capital  of  the  Dragon.  In  the  days 
of  Kien  Limg,  at  the  Three  Islands,  a  boat  was  ferrying 
across  the  stream.  When  across,  the  occupant  looked 
back  at  Ch'en  Chung  Landing,  and  saw  a  black  log  on 
the  water.  Suddenly  the  sea  began  to  boil,  clouds 
dropped  from  the  heavens,  waves  rolled  skywards  in 
billows  and  fell  again,  wind  arose  with  terrific  force, 
rains  poured  down.  Then  he  realised  that  the  black 
log  was  a  dragon. 

Having  thus  satisfactorily  ascertained  the  real 
origin  of  the  district  or  of  its  name,  we  may  continue 
our  exploration  of  these  voluminous  records  for  the 
subsequent  history.  And  perhaps  it  may  be  fair  to 
distinguish  between  etymological  guesses  which  an 
editor  does  not  care  to  omit,  though  he  has  his  opinion 
of  their  value,  and  extracts  from  annals,  or  modern 

*  Kuang  Chou,  which  is  the  Chinese  name  for  Canton,  means  "  Broad 
Department."    Kuang  Tung  means   "  Broad   East." 


Flushed  Cloud  Fairy  Cave. 

With   the   glow  of  morning  or  evening  on  it The  Temple  of  the 

Five  Fairies  was  of  old  on  liarbarian  St.,  but  in  the  10th  year  of  Hung  Wu 
(Ming  dynasty)  the  Provincial  treasurer  of  Kwangtung  took  the  land  of  this 
temple  for  his  treasury.  He  therefore  built  in  the  place  of  this  temple  a  palace 
known  as  Periaeating  Brilliancy.  On  Wave  Mountain  he  had  five  images  of 
the  five  fairies  made.  Besides  these  a  great  stone  in  the  centre  of  which  is  a 
Footprint,  in  the  footprint  is  water.  When  weather  js  dry  this  water  does  not 
dry  up  but  still  rises  to  the  accustomed  level  as  if  there  was  a  spring  in  the 
bottom.  This  is  very  strange.  In  connection  with  this  temple  a  bell  tower 
has  been  erected  in  the  enclosure,  on  which  are  characters  which  say  "The 
First  Tower  South  of  the  Mountain  Peaks."  In  the  picture  the  bell  tower  can 
be  seen  to  the  right  of  the  temple,  the  pool  can  be  seen  surrounded  by  the 
Five  Fairy  Goats. 

(The  above  illustration  and  comment  is  found  in  the  "Ancient  History 
of  the  City  of  Goats.") 


BAT  CAT*3   FOOD   (cOLD   SHOULDER) 

accounts  of  present  conditions.  The  "  History  of  the 
South  Seas  "  is  divided  into  fourteen  sections,  which 
deal  with  the  following  topics:  Proclamations;  Maps 
of  the  city;  Maps  of  the  district;  Boundaries,  with 
notes  on  the  weather,  products,  and  customs;  Govern- 
ment, dealing  with  population,  agriculture,  taxes,  stores 
against  famine,  salt,  defences;  River  guards;  Famous 
officials  from  the  time  of  Liang;  Relics  of  antiquity, 
temples,  ancestral  halls;  Literary  history  and  extracts 
from  local  books;  Ancient  inscriptions;  Famous  men; 
Famous  women;  Famous  places  and  fairy  scenes;  Mis- 
cellaneous. 

Turn  over  the  pages  to  look  at  the  literary  history. 
There  prove  to  be  76  writers  catalogued,  responsible 
for  348  books.  And  it  rather  astonishes  us,  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  think  of  the  Chinese  as  industriously 
churning  up  old  proverbs  on  conduct  and  metapltysics 
into  some  new  arrangement,  to  be  stamped  with  a  new 
butter-pat,  when  we  find  that  54  of  these  authors 
turned  their  attention  to  general  history,  while  local 
history  also  received  much  attention.  On  the  side  of 
physical  geography,  there  are  treatises  on  the  sea,  the 
soil,  mountains,  and  streams,  with  the  culture  of  fish 
in  the  latter  as  a  corollary.  Sociology  finds  recogni- 
tion in  genealogies  and  rolls  of  county  families.  Naval 
practice  and  military  tactics  are  dealt  with  by  special- 
ists. Medical  men  discourse  on  the  pulse,  inoculation, 
and  vaccination.  Philosophy  and  religion  are  account- 
able for  disquisitions  on  metaphysics,  holy  mountains, 
and  Buddhist  mountains.  Of  course,  besides  these  con- 
crete matters  the  abstract  is  honoured  also,  and  our 
former  estimate  of  Chinese  learning  proves  to  be  cor- 
rect as  far  as  it  went,  in  that  here  are  also  198  essayists, 
who,  like  Wendell  Holmes,  Lamb,  Augustine  Birrell, 


88  "ANCIENT  FOOT  TRACKS" 

Emerson,  and  G.  K.  Chesterton,  hang  the  old  clothes 
of  philosophy  on  all  manner  of  pegs.  Would  you  like 
a  specimen,  carefully  brushed  and  dusted?  A  local  his- 
torian of  philosophy,  a  sort  of  G.  H.  Lewes,  undertook 
to  edit  the  "  Words  of  the  Philosophers  Ch'eng,  in 
Twelve  Sections  ";  and  here  is  his  own  preface  to  the 
book,  from  which  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Jewish  doctors 
of  the  law  were  not  alone  in  being  unable  to  think  for 
themselves,  and  in  retailing  the  pedigree  of  every  idea: 

"  The  exposition  of  the  Doctrine  has  been  diffi- 
cult from  of  old.  Han  Yii  of  the  T'ang  dynasty 
says  Yao  transmitted  his  teaching  to  Shen,  Shen 
transmitted  his  teaching  to  Yii,  Yii  transmitted 
what  he  had  received  to  Wen,  Wu,  and  Duke 
Chou,  these  transmitted  their  teachings  to  Confu- 
cius, and  Confucius  to  Mencius.  After  Mencius 
died  there  was  no  one  who  was  especially  instru- 
mental in  transmitting  the  works  of  former  sages. 
After  him  there  was  a  thousand  years  to  the  Sung 
Dynasty  until  there  arose  a  great  philosopher.  .  .  . 

"  But  by  to-day  examining  a  manifestation,  and 
to-morrow  correcting  former  records,  brilliant 
intelligence  of  things  is  arrived  at.  Even  former 
investigators  have  arrived  at  such  conclusions  as  to 
say  that  much  attributed  to  the  Ch'engs  was  not 
theirs.  However,  I  am  not  very  brilliant,  but  the 
works  of  the  Ch'engs  do  appeal  to  me  most  pro- 
foundly. I  have  therefore  made  a  complete  inves- 
tigation of  all  works  genuine  and  spurious  of  these 
men ;  having  expurgated  the  false,  I  have  compiled 
a  reliable  treatise." 

Thus  endeth  the  Preface. 


TRANSLATION. 

[Lines  on  a  likeness  of  Wang  Vang  Ming.     Engraved  on  stone  at  Kwei- 
yaiig,  by  Chang  Tao  An  of  the  Ming  Dynasty.] 
"  Profoundly  versed  in  the  Sages'  learning 
A  follower  of  Kung  and  Meiig 
In  the  doctrine  of  inherited  qualities 
He  follows  Mencius 
This  was  censured  as  heresy 
The  men  of  this  time,  were  deaf  and  blind 

(Note:  'deaf  and  blind'  to  his  defense) 
Possessing  the  three  claims  to  immortality: 

(Note:  Meritorious  conduct,  instructive  books,  exeuii)lary  virtues) 

He  rose  to  the  5th  grade  hereditary  nobility 

Enrolled  among  the  famous  servants  of  the  state 

He  was  joined  with  the  Sage's  disciples 

IN  his  sacrificial  temple. 

ALL  men  were  envious  of  him,  and  set  snares  for  hiin 

Yet  I  esteem  Yang  Ming  as  equal  to  Han  Yii 

In  regulating  the  currents  of  thought 

His  merit  is  not  second  to  that  of  great  Yii 

(In  regulating  the  rivers  of  the  Empire) 

(Note-  Wang  Yang  Ming,  after  acquiring  fame  as  a  philosopher,  was 
banished  on  account  of  the  prominence  which  he  gave  to  the  teachings  of 
Mencius,  manifestly  the  work  of  envious  enemies) 

LINES  bv  his  disciple  Wang  Hi 
bowing  aA  HUNDRED  TIMES! 

Where  is  there  a  man  who  resembles  my  teacher's  figure? 
Where  is  there  another  who  resembles  my  teacher's  soul  ? 
The  figure  is  limited  to  one  place:  the  soul  is  boundless 
The  one  perishes,  the  other  remains 
To  the  one  our  attachment  is  slender 
To  the  other  our  affection  is  strong 
In  us  (our  nature)  all  things  combine 

(Note:  All  the  elements  of  nature) 
In  the  same  wav  the  teachings  of  a  thousand  sages 

\re  centered  in'one  heart.     We  have  only  to  look  in,  to 

Behold  them  there.     If  we  ourselves  do  not  mar  the  features 

We  retain  their  spiritual  likeness.  ^^ 

J^Iay  I  not  loose  the  true  image  of  my  master. 


HALF  A    BUCKET  OF   WATER 

PART  III.— DICTIONARY  OF  NATIONAL  BIOGRAPHY 

From  philosophy  let  us  turn  to  the  Dictionary  of 
National  Biography,  or,  as  its  title  runs  literally,  the 
"  General  History  of  Family  Genealogies,"  which  deals 
with  all  China.  We  will  take  from  it  a  sketch  of  one 
man  of  this  district  who  achieved  national  distinction, 
a  certain  Doctor  P'eng. 

In  the  days  of  Yung  Lo,  the  Ming,  there  was  in 
this  province  of  Kwangtung,  connected  with  the  col- 
lege of  Nan  Hsiung  Chou,  an  immoral  monastery  in 
which  was  an  image  called  the  Holy  Maiden.  It  had 
been  the  custom  for  the  Director  of  Education  to  wor- 
ship this  image,  in  company  with  the  students.  When 
Doctor  P'eng  was  appointed  to  this  post  he  was  angry 
at  the  superstition,  and  decided  to  destroy  the  image. 
On  his  way  to  take  up  his  appointment  he  was  met  by 
a  student  from  the  prefectural  city,  and  when  he  asked 
in  surprise  how  the  student  knew  where  he  was  he  was 
told,  "  The  Holy  Maiden  revealed  to  me  in  a  dream 
your  name,  village,  county,  titles,  and  rank;  and  she 
sent  me  to  receive  and  wait  upon  Your  Honor."  He 
then  dilated  on  the  merits  of  the  Holy  Maiden,  hoping 
to  gain  the  Director's  favor.  But  Doctor  P'eng  grew 
angry,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  arrived  at  his  post  he 
caused  firewood  to  be  heaped  around  the  monastery, 
intending  some  night  to  set  fire  to  it  and  cause  the 
place  to  be  "  accidentally  "  burned  down.  But  before 
this  could  be  carried  out,  the  student  had  a  second  dream, 
wherein  the  Holy  Maiden  appeared  again  and  said, 
*'  This  Director  of  Education  is  worthless;  go  and  tell 
him  that  I  can  bring  calamities  on  him;  in  a  few  days 
his  slaves  shall  die,  a  few  days  later  his  son  and  his 
wife  shall  die,  last  of  all  the  man  himself  shall  die." 
The  student  delivered  the  message,  but  Doctor  P'eng 


90       DICTIONARY  OF  NATIONAL  BIOGRAPHY 

would  pay  it  no  attention.  Surely  enough,  his  slaves 
did  die  in  a  few  days,  whereupon  the  members  of  his 
family  were  filled  with  fear  and  prayed  to  the  Holy 
Maiden  until  the  slaves  came  to  life  again.  When  the 
Director  understood  what  had  happened,  he  was  filled 
with  rage,  and  publicly  burned  the  monastery.  The 
next  night  his  son  died,  and  his  wife  died  soon  after- 
wards, whereupon  all  the  students  went  and  pleaded 
with  him  to  submit  to  the  Maiden;  but  he  remained 
obdurate.  When  his  own  death  did  not  follow,  doubt 
arose  in  the  minds  of  the  students.  For  a  third  time 
a  vision  came  to  the  same  dreamer,  when  he  asked  how 
the  last  prediction  had  failed.  The  Holy  Maiden 
replied,  "  I  am  a  disembodied  spirit;  how  should  I  have 
ability  to  give  life  or  send  death  to  men?  P'eng's  son 
and  his  wife  had  reached  the  limit  of  their  life;  this  I 
knew,  and  used  the  knowledge  to  try  and  extort  his 
submission.  But  Doctor  P'eng  is  a  man  of  worth  and 
integrity,  who  shall  rise  to  greater  eminence ;  how  should 
I  dare  bring  trouble  on  him?  "  The  Director  was  pres- 
ently promoted  to  be  Literary  Chancellor  of  the  Two 
Kiang  provinces,  and  ultimately  attained  the  position 
of  Imperial  Censor.  Thus  he  became  a  standard  of 
excellence  for  subsequent  scholars. 

The  Chinese  are  firm  believers  in  women's  rights; 
only  their  ideas  of  what  those  rights  consist  in  may  be 
unique.  Here  is  a  story  of  a  virtuous  widow,  held  up 
as  a  model: 

"  Her  tribe  was  of  the  soldier  class. 

Her  name  was  Mrs.  Tai; 
Her  husband  he  was  Ch'en  Nan; 

For  beauty  she  ranked  high. 
Ch'en  Nan  too  early  left  her  side, 

A  widow  she  became; 
To  serve  his  parents  then  she  turned. 

And  won  a  pious  name. 
When  five  long  years  had  rolled  away, 

A  soldier  sought  to  wed. 
But  loyal  to  her  husband  dear. 


*  W  *  'il^  A  " 

ITERYTHINO  FKABS  TUB   EARNEST  MAK 

She  rather  would   be  dead. 
He  to  the  general  repaired. 

His  pressure  brought  to  bear; 
Around   her   neck   the  cord   she  tied. 

And    leaped    into    the    air. 
So  lived  they  and  so  faithful  died. 

When  Sung  was  on  the  throne; 
Lo  Wei,  in  memory  of  her  deed, 

Put  up  an  arch  of  stone." 

Infant  prodigies  were  not  unknown  in  the  olden 
days.  In  the  reign  of  Wu  Hou,  of  the  T'ang  dynasty, 
a  child  of  seven  immortalised  herself  by  the  accident  of 
her  brother's  going  to  the  capital  for  his  Doctor's 
degree.  The  Emperor  heard  of  her  precocity,  sent  for 
her,  and  bade  her  write  an  epigram  on  her  brother's 
separation  from  her,  in  the  style  of  a  Welsh  Englyn  at 
the  poetic  Eisteddfod.  She  extemporised  in  the  purest 
classical  style  the  highest  Wen-li: 

"Where  forks  the  road  the  clouds  obscuring  rise; 

As  his  degree  he  gains  my  tree  all  leafless  stands. 
Though  of  one  mother  born^  the  heart  deep  sighs; 

We  cannot  soar  above  the  world,  like  cranes  in  loving  bands." 

Such  proficiency  in  the  literary  graces  may  pair  off 
with  the  wonderful  child  of  ten  who  lectured  at  Harvard 
to  the  mathematical  professors  on  the  Fourth  Dimension. 

Family  affection  and  devotion  to  parents  are  a  con- 
stant theme,  and  another  extract  which  sets  this  forth 
in  superlative  fashion  may  indicate  the  workings  of 
the  Chinese  mind.  Under  the  dynasty  succeeding  the 
Sungs  Mrs.  Lien  lived  outside  the  west  gate  of  Canton 
with  her  two  daughters.  She  was  seized  with  severe 
illness,  and  there  seemed  no  hope  of  recovery.  One 
daughter  cut  off  a  piece  of  her  own  thigh,  the  other  cut 
out  a  piece  of  her  own  liver;  these  pieces  were  cooked 
and  respectfully  presented  to  the  mother,  who  ate  and 
recovered.  A  provincial  official  named  K'ang  Mi-liang 
heard  of  this,  and  brought  it  to  the  Emperor'^  atten- 


92       DICTIONARY  OF  NATIONAL  BIOGRAPHY 

tion,  whereupon  an  Imperial  edict  was  issued,  and  a 
double  palace  was  erected  in  their  memory,  whose 
foundations  may  yet  be  traced  outside  the  wall.  A 
certain  Chang  Shu  also  wrote  an  ode  to  commemorate 
the  event: 

"  When  Mrs.  Lien  had  daughters  twain,  of  age  their  hair  to  coil, 
A  fell  disease  laid  hold  on  her;  their  eyes  with  blood  did  boil. 
Their  viscera  were  sore  inflamed,  their  lives  seemed  nothing  worth. 
*  Of  what  good  are  our  members  now  ?     To  her  who  gave  us  birth 
Let  us  impart  our  flesh  and  blood ! '     A  liver  and  a  thigh 
These  pious  girls  do  mutilate;  the  stars  rejoice  on  high. 
The  mother's  stiff'ened  jaws  they  ope,  the  precious  jade  pour  in; 
All  heaven  re-echoes  with  the  praise  the  daughters  justly  win. 
And  weeps  in  loving  sympathy.     The  mother  strength  regains; 
The   sickness,   like   the   dying   moon,   to   outer    darkness   wanes." 

Lest  the  story  seem  too  incredible,  remember  that 
this  form  of  filial  devotion  has  become  standard,  and 
the  flesh  of  children  is  regarded  as  the  most  powerful 
restorative.  Hence  the  frequent  accusation  against 
foreigners,  foreign  doctors  especially,  that  they  steal 
children  and  prepare  medicaments  from  their  vitals, 
sounds  most  credible  to  the  Chinese,  monstrous  as  it 
appears  to  us.  Eut  new  China,  in  the  person  of  my 
translator,  curtly  comments,  "  That  woman  certainly 
was  a  fool." 

These  stories  reveal  the  standard  of  conduct  set  up 
for  women  by  men ;  let  us  now  see  how  men  themselves 
can  arrive  at  fame.  There  were  eminent  politicians  of 
this  province;  one  life  we  may  briefly  note,  as  told  in 
the  "  Biographical  Record  of  Famous  Statesmen." 

In  the  days  of  the  T'ang  dynasty  lived  Chang  Chiu- 
ling,  who  at  the  age  of  seven  was  able  to  write  essays. 
Later  on  he  submitted  to  the  governor  a  plan  to  reduce 
the  disaffected  and  reorganise  the  province;  this  was 
so  able  that  the  writer  was  pronounced  the  ablest  man 


*±  ft  m^ 


TUK   OLD  HAM   HUMO   HIMSELF 


in  the  district,  and  great  was  the  surprise  to  find  he  was 
but  thirteen  years  old.  While  still  young  he  secured 
his  Doctor's  degree,  passing  first.  He  then  sent  up  a 
memorial  to  the  Emperor,  containing  two  important 
suggestions:  that  worship  be  limited  to  Shang  Ti,  the 
Creator  and  Preserver  of  the  universe,  and  that  officials 
should  be  promoted  by  degrees,  gaining  experience  in 
the  lower  ranks,  where  alone  they  would  learn  the  needs 
of  the  people.  He  was  advanced  to  be  a  minister  of 
state,  and  when  on  the  Emperor's  birthday  others  were 
sending  valuable  presents,  including  mirrors  obtained 
at  great  expense  from  distant  lands,  he  prepared  only 
a  book  on  "  The  Mirror  of  Everlasting  Ages,"  wherein 
he  discussed  past  methods  of  government  and  suggested 
their  bearing  on  present  problems.  Because  of  his 
integrity  he  fell  out  with  the  officials  at  the  capital,  and 
returned  to  his  southern  home,  with  a  reputation  for 
clearness  of  perception  in  state  affairs.'' 

PART  IV.— THE  PASSING  OF  OLD  CHINA 

Let  us  now  lay  down  the  literature,  with  all  its 
insight  into  the  past  life,  and  supplement  it  by  observ- 
ing for  ourselves,  setting  down  what  is  still  to  be  seen 
of  that  old  China  which  is  so  rapidly  passing  away. 

One  of  the  most  permanent  of  human  needs  is  food. 
In  the  City  of  Sheep  we  might  look  for  juicy  chops  and 
lamb  cutlets;  but  the  popular  meats  are  of  humble 
origin,  though  of  great  variety  and  fame,  for  the  restau- 
rants of  Canton  have  a  reputation  throughout  the  East. 
Cats  form  the  staple  of  many  dishes,  and  I  can  honestly 

'  Afterwards,  however,  the  Emperor  Ming  Huang  found  out  what  a 
valuable  counsellor  he  had  lost,  and  ennobled  him  as  earl.  When  new 
ministers  were  subsequently  recommended,  the  Emperor  invariably  asked 
if  they  were  like  Chang  Chiu-ling.  In  his  youth  he  communicated  with 
his  relatives  by  means  of  carrier-pigeons,  which  he  called  his  "flying 
slaves."    He  was  also  a  brilliant  poet. 


94  THE  PASSING  OF  OLD  CHINA 

avow  that  I  have  never  tasted  such  delicious  cat  stew 
anywhere  else.  A  common  fat  cat  can  be  bought 
generally  for  forty  cents  American,  but  a  black  cat  if 
alive  will  fetch  sixty.  If  dressed  ready  for  the  pot  it 
will  retail  at  twelve  cents  a  pound.  The  dressing  con- 
sists of  scalding,  and  scraping  oiF  the  hair;  then  it  is 
stewed  whole  with  chicken,  mushrooms,  ginger,  pea- 
nut oil,  and  brandy.  While  old  cats  are  much  in 
demand,  the  value  of  a  dog  rises  with  its  youth,  and  the 
colour  makes  little  difference,  prices  ranging  above  six 
cents  American,  rather  higher  than  pork.  Rats  cost 
at  least  double,  and  are  usually  stewed  with  black  beans ; 
they  are  supposed  to  stimulate  the  growth  of  hair. 
Mice  are  not  in  demand.  Snakes,  however,  are  much 
sought  after  as  a  preservative  against  rheumatism ;  they 
are  made  up  in  sets  of  three,  costing  $3.80  Mexican, 
f.o.b.  the  purchaser's  basket  at  the  apothecary's,  but 
not  delivered.  The  recipe  is  to  kill  the  snake,  congeal 
the  blood  with  cooked  brandy,  and  eat  it;  then  simmer 
down  the  meat  and  bones  with  sugar-cane,  ginger,  and 
chicken  till  all  is  reduced  to  one  bowlful.  Other  famil- 
iar delicatessen  are  lizards,  sea-slugs,  desiccated  oysters, 
eggs  three  years'  old,  birds'  nests,  bamboo  sprouts, 
fungus,  and  garlic,  besides  beef  and  mutton. 

The  "  Annals  of  the  Nan  Hai  or  South  Sea  Dis- 
trict "  give  millet,  yellow  and  white,  as  the  chief  food. 
But  rice,  of  many  varieties,  is  now  understood  to  be  the 
principal  nourishment.  It  is  not  ground  and  made 
into  bread,  but  boiled  into  soup  or  porridge.  The  por- 
ridge is  the  favourite  food,  so  that  people  meeting  in 
the  morning  salute  each  other  by  asking,  "  Have  you 
eaten  your  rice  porridge?  "  The  fact  that  this  form 
of  polite  inquiry  prevails  in  nearly  the  whole  Empire 
indicates  the  prevalence  of  rice  as  a  national  food.  The 
rice  soup  which  is  called  congee  is  chiefly  taken  by 
sick  people  and  little  children. 


A    BIO  OlllCKEK    DOSS   NOT    KAT   SMALL   RTOR 

Without  our  plan  of  arrangement,  the  "  Annals  " 
next  refer  to  Mongolian  hemp,  "  elephant's  eye,"  a 
fabric  made  of  silk,  "  cross-grained  cloth,"  *'  fish  pond 
cloth,"  and  tree  cotton. 

Then  among  a  long  list  of  vegetables  are  the  "  yel- 
low stone,"  because  of  its  colour  and  because  it  grows 
on  stones,  the  "  stone  flower  vegetable,"  the  "purple 
vegetable,"  and  the  "  east  wind."  A  poor  man  is  often 
spoken  of  as  one  who  "  subsists  on  the  west  wind  ";  they 
do  not  say  "  east  wind,"  else  it  might  be  supposed  he 
lived  on  this  vegetable. 

Two  varieties  of  mushroom  are  "  stone  ear  "  and 
"  wood  ear."  *'  Mountain  medicine  "  is  simply  the 
yam.  Then  there  are  the  "  fragrant  melon  "  and  the 
"  pillow  melon,"  which  latter  is  comfortable  to  rest  the 
head  on  when  sleeping.  Some  good  to  sleep  on!  The 
banana-like  fruit  known  as  "  autumn  wind  "  grows  on  a 
tree  twenty  feet  high.  The  plum  is  so  common  that  it 
gives  rise  to  the  most  common  family  name  in  the 
Empire. 

After  food,  an  almost  daily  need  for  a  Chinese 
is  a  barber.  This  functionary  begins  his  attentions  to 
the  child  at  the  age  of  one  month,  and  only  ends  after 
death.     His  first  duty  is  to  give  the  smallpox. 

From  the  barber,  whose  calling  is  so  badly  esteemed 
that  his  sons  are  not  allowed  to  try  for  a  degree,  let  us 
pass  on  to  the  diviner,  whose  art  is  held  in  the  highest 
estimation.  Shall  we  take  some  pearls  of  coagulated 
wisdom  from  the  Chinese  Zadkiel,  whose  lucubrations 
are  treated  with  great  respect? 

In  the  time  of  the  Ch'in  dynasty,  the  five  stars  of 
metal,  wood,  fire,  water,  earth,  were  called  the  Well  of 
the  Eastern  Heavens,  and  they  presided  over  the  king- 
dom of  Ch'in.     In  the  second  division  of  the  zodiac  are 


96  THE  PASSING  OF  OLD  CHINA 

the  stars  aifecting  North  China.  The  stars  which 
form  the  Southern  Bushel  contain  in  the  eighth  division 
those  which  have  to  do  with  Kwangtung.  Now  some 
three  centuries  ago  Yiieh  Chin,  who  had  ruled  over 
southeast  China,  lost  the  luck  of  kings,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Wei  Tu.  Besides  the  Southern  Bushel,  those 
who  would  learn  about  Kwangtung  should  study  the 
stars  which  constitute  the  southern  border  of  the 
Heavenly  River  which  flows  around  the  Well  of  the 
East.  But  to  illustrate  how  the  Southern  Bushel  is 
concerned  with  this  province,  note  that  in  the  sixth  year 
of  Yiian  Ting  [i.e..  Ill  B.C.], Han  dynasty,  during  the 
fourth  or  spring  moon,  the  fire  star  entered  the  South- 
ern Bushel,  and  the  Emperor  died,  and  in  the  fifth 
year  of  Ta  Ting  [i.e.,  559  a.d.],  Liang  dynasty,  during 
the  winter  moon,  a  comet  with  a  ten-foot  tail  came  out 
of  the  Southern  Bushel,  while  Li  Fen,  the  king  of  the 
south,  proved  himself  a  great  robber.  When  in  the 
ninth  year  of  Ta  Yeh  of  the  Sui  dynasty  [i.e.^  613  a.d.] 
the  fire  star  again  entered  the  Southern  Bushel,  the 
Emperor  dreaded  trouble,  and  two  moons  later  the 
robber  chief  Ch'en  Tien  fought  his  way  into  Hao  Yao, 
North  of  Canton,  while  a  moon  later  another  brigand 
fought  his  way  into  Wuchow.  Three  years  after- 
wards two  shooting-stars  curled  about  like  a  snake  and 
entered  the  Southern  Bushel;  that  same  year  Lien 
N'eng  raised  a  rebellion  and  set  up  a  kingdom  in 
Hunan,  to  which  he  annexed  the  Pan  Yu  country  of 
Canton.  When  in  the  first  year  of  Huang  Yu  of  the 
Sung  dynasty  the  great  white  star  entered  the  South- 
ern Bushel,  the  peasant  barbarian  Neng  Chi  K'ou 
rebelled;  he  presently  fought  into  Fengchuen  and 
besieged  Kwangchow;  having  taken  that,  he  dared 
besiege  Canton  itself,  but  when  next  year  the  great 
white  star  again  entered  the  Southern  Bushel,  the  rebels 
were  quelled,  the  leader  was  slain,  and  the  country  was 
pacified. 


A    woman's    heart    TS    LIKB   A    N£EDLB   AT   THE    BOTTOM    OK  THE   SKA  ; 
TOD   MAT   LOOK   AS   MUOH   AS  TOO   LIKE,    BUT  TOD'LL   NEVEB  FIND   IT 

The  Chinese  are  not  alone  In  their  belief  that  the 
movements  of  the  heavenly  bodies  portend  some  effects 
on  the  earth.  It  seems  a  well-established  fact  that 
when  the  sun  shines  on  a  given  portion  of  the  globe 
more  activity  is  witnessed  there  than  at  other  times. 
But  they  carry  their  investigations  much  further  than 
other  peoples,  even  than  old  Moore.  They  have  also 
another  system,  all  their  own,  based  on  a  belief  that  in 
our  immediate  skies  there  are  good  or  malign  influences 
which  can  affect  certain  districts.  As  these  are  sup- 
posed to  be  connected  with  wind  and  water,  they  have 
bent  their  attention  to  see  how  the  good  influences  can 
be  condensed  and  attracted,  and  how  the  evil  influences 
can  be  harmlessly  dissipated,  or  attracted  and  carefully 
distributed  where  they  can  harm  other  people.  We  in 
the  West  have  a  similar  superstitution  relating  to  elec- 
tricity, not  wind  and  water;  and  we  fancy  that  a  wire 
stretched  up  aloft  may  attract  any  lightning  that  is  wan- 
dering aroimd,  and  bring  it  harmlessly  to  earth  instead 
of  letting  it  strike  at  random. 

Now  the  Chinese  have  utilised  two  foreign  inven- 
tions in  somewhat  this  way.  When  the  Buddhists  came 
to  the  land  about  250  a.d.,  they  brought  with  them  their 
architecture,  and  built  dagobas;  the  spires  that 
finished  these  off  appealed  to  the  geomantic  ideas  of  the 
Chinese,  who  readily  adopted  them,  emphasising  the 
spire  and  adding  stairways  in  the  thick  walls.  They 
modified  the  Hindu  word  and  called  the  towers  "t*a," 
while  the  English  popular  name  is  pagoda.^     One  of 

• "  Pagoda "  has  been  derived  from  the  Portuguese  pronunciation  of 
the  Indian  "  dagoba."  But  it  is  more  probably  a  corruption  of  the 
common  term  in  use  among  the  Chinese  themselves,  v\z.,Q  "^  X^ 
po-ku-t'a,  "white  bones  tower."  This  latter  name  has  reference  to 
the  fact  that  pagodas  or  stflpas  were  erected  to  contain  relics — originally, 
the  various  parts  (84,000  in  all)  of  Buddha's  body. 
7 


98  THE  PASSING  OF  OLD  CHINA 

these  exists  in  Canton.  Then  came  the  Mohammedans ; 
in  628  A.D.  the  inicle  of  the  prophet  arrived  here  by  sea 
with  a  band  of  Moslems,  and  soon  Avon  many  converts. 
For  their  use  a  mosque  arose,  with  a  plain  brick  minaret 
nearly  two  hundred  feet  high,  whence  the  faithful  were 
called  to  prayer.  And  so  from  these  two  foreign 
religions  Canton  possesses  two  pagodas  in  the  old  city, 
one  smooth  and  one  rough,  warranted  to  bring  all 
the  good  influences. 

The  temples  are  by  no  means  so  conspicuous  or  so 
beautiful,  but  they  are  at  least  numerous.  Dr.  E.  Z. 
Simmons  set  two  Chinese  to  go  through  the  city  and 
make  a  careful  count  of  the  places  dependent  on  idol- 
atry. They  brought  in  most  remarkable  figures,  after 
a  month's  work.  Every  shop  corresponding  to  our 
green-grocery  dealt  in  objects  used  in  worship,  but  these 
were  not  enumerated,  nor  were  the  brick  shrines  at  the 
doors  of  most  of  the  shops.  But  they  found  68  shops 
entirely  devoted  to  the  making  of  idols,  which  seems  a 
good  proportion  as  compared  with  the  statuaries  of  an 
Italian  town  or  the  icon-makers  in  Moscow.  There 
were  278  altars  standing  in  the  open  air,  like  the  way- 
side shrines  in  Brittany  or  Savoy,  and  no  fewer  than 
500  regular  temples,  where  popular  Buddhism  installs 
its  idols. 

The  worship  is  both  private  and  public,  and  in  each 
there  is  much  expense.  Weddings,  funerals,  opening 
of  new  shops,  all  are  sanctified  with  worship  involving 
fire-crackers,  incense,  and  wax  candles — perhaps  the 
average  family  in  an  average  year  will  spend  $2.50  in 
such  worship;  and  it  must  be  said  that  comparatively 
few  Christians  hold  family  prayers  when  they  move,  or 
when  they  open  a  new  business  place.  Besides  this 
domestic  religion  there  is  also  an  official  state  religion; 
theatres  are  connected  with  the  temples,  and  a  tax  is 
levied  to  support  the  worship  at  ordinary  times,  while 


A   8TONS   LION   DOESN'T   FEAR  THR   RAIK 

in  case  of  drought  or  plague  there  are  special  services, 
for  which  further  assessment  is  made,  and  then  the 
governor  and  the  commandant  and  all  officials  both 
civil  and  military  lead  the  devotions. 

PART  v.— NEW  CANTON 

Let  us  now  turn  away  from  old  China,  which  soon 
may  need  to  be  investigated  by  the  antiquarian.  How 
much  of  this  will  survive  in  twenty  years  is  a  most  inter- 
esting question.  There  was  a  time  in  the  history  of 
Oxford  when  all  its  revered  text-books  were  collected 
to  be  treated  as  waste  paper,  while  a  new  set  of  studies 
and  a  new  set  of  teachers  were  introduced.  That  time 
has  just  passed  in  the  history  of  China.  The  old  cur- 
riculum in  the  classics  is  abolished;  many  of  the  old 
examination  halls  are  torn  down,  as  in  Canton  itself, 
while  new  colleges  arise,  where  science  of  all  kinds  is 
being  taught  on  Western  lines.  Where  this  revolution 
will  lead  no  one  can  as  yet  tell.  But  let  us  look  at 
the  evidences  of  a  new  China  in  such  tangible  things  as 
commerce.  In  the  matter  of  a  post  office  we  see  the 
old  and  the  new  superposed,  like  dissolving  views  from 
two  lanterns  cast  on  one  screen. 

Canton  rejoices  in  an  English  post  office,  which  is 
staffed  at  the  counter  entirely  by  Chinese,  a  French 
office,  a  German — for  this  too  is  now"  a  world  power — 
and  a  Japanese.  The  last-named  deals  in  perhaps  a 
dozen  letters  daily,  and  does  not  pretend  to  deliver,  but 
claps  a  half-cent  Chinese  stamp  on  the  letter  and  turns 
it  over  to  the  Chinese  office.  For  these  four  represent 
the  special  conditions  that  were  perhaps  needful  in  by- 
gone days  but  are  now  quite  outgrown.  The  Chinese 
themselves  have  established  their  own  Imperial  Post, 
which  at  the  beginning  they  have  manned  with  several 


100  NEW  CANTON 

foreigners  of  outstanding  ability,  and  which  is  so  admir- 
ably conducted  that  many  foreigners  prefer  to  deal  with 
it  alone.  Meantime  these  extra-territorial  agencies 
continue,  and  the  Chinese  Imperial  Post  is  not  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Postal  Union,  but  is  developing  chiefly  its 
internal  working.  As  a  sign  of  what  progress  is  being 
made  in  this  direction,  letters  for  local  delivery  increased 
in  one  year  from  440,000  to  550,000,  while  nearly  100,- 
000  parcels  were  also  received.  For  delivery  to  other 
parts  of  China  2,235,000  letters  were  posted,  being 
an  increase  of  nearly  a  million;  these  go  off  in  many 
directions,  by  boat,  by  courier,  and  by  rail.  By  the 
establishment  of  new  routes  the  time  for  a  letter  to 
Chenchow  in  Hunan  has  been  reduced  from  30  to 
7  days.  Branch  offices  and  box-office  agencies  are 
constantly  increasing,  and  the  efforts  made  to  con- 
tinue a  regular  service,  in  face  of  disasters  which  sus- 
pend private  enterprise,  serve  to  advertise  the  system 
and  increase  the  confidence  with  which  it  is  viewed. 

An  even  more  striking  development  is  the  new  San 
Ning  Railway,  the  only  one  in  the  four  districts  south- 
west of  Canton.  It  starts  from  Kung  Yik  Fow  at  the 
north,  a  place  which  when  the  surveyors  selected  it  was 
only  rice-fields ;  within  two  years  they  laid  out  straight, 
wide,  asphalted  streets,  well  lit.  About  a  thousand 
brick  shops  and  offices  grace  these,  and  there  has  thus 
sprung  into  existence  a  great  commercial  centre,  with  a 
large  hotel.  The  railway  is  built  down  to  the  Pacific, 
and  is  destined  to  open  up  this  part  of  the  delta.  Now 
the  noteworthy  thing  is  that  all  this  was  planned,  built, 
and  paid  for  by  the  Chinese. 

These  are  signs  of  the  new  China  produced  by  the 
import  of  foreign  trade.  But  if  these  things  lie  on  the 
surface,  there  is  another  great  influence  whose  results 
cannot  be  counted  in  tons  and  Haikwan  taels.  Chris- 
tian missions  must  be  otherwise  described.     Of  the  Old 


*  ^  ®  #1  a  te  "' 

RIIXINQ   LICB   IN    A    TIQER's   HRAl>t 

work  by  the  Persians,  so  curiously  misnamed  "  Nes- 
torian,"  of  the  mediaeval  work  by  the  Roman  Catholics, 
nothing  need  be  said  here.  The  first  Protestant  mis- 
sionary was  Robert  Morrison,  from  the  north  of  Eng- 
land, sent  out  by  the  London  Missionary  Society  and 
arriving  in  Canton  on  an  American  ship  during  1807. 
But  his  work  was  nearly  single-handed  till  his  death  in 
1834,  though  he  left  the  materials  for  advance  in  a 
dictionary  and  a  Bible,  with  nearly  thirty  other  works 
all  bearing  on  the  work  of  missionaries.  Nor  should 
it  be  forgotten  that  as  early  as  1820  he  began  dispens- 
ing medicines,  and  it  was  on  this  line  that  much  success 
was  won  by  gaining  native  confidence. 

In  1835  Dr.  Parker  opened  a  dispensary  in  Canton, 
and  from  that  day  this  form  of  work  has  been  prose- 
cuted with  steady  success.  Two  other  forms  of  Chris- 
tian work  were  initiated  at  about  the  same  time,  in 
memory  of  Morrison,  educational  missions,  and  the 
Society  for  the  Diffusion  of  Useful  Knowledge;  these 
operate  chiefly  from  Hongkong  and  Shanghai.  But 
for  thirty  years  it  is  needless  to  look  in  detail  at  the 
efforts  put  forth,  hindered  as  they  were  by  such  events 
as  the  opium  wars  and  the  T'ai-p'ing  rebellion.  Not 
till  forty  years  ago  did  the  Christian  world  turn  at  all 
serious  attention  to  the  claims  of  China,  and  it  is  not 
unfair  to  say  that  the  most  strenuous  efforts  were  made 
from  America.  Granted  that  to-day  there  are  12 
societies  from  Scandinavia  and  Germany,  with  22  from 
Britain,  yet  from  America  there  are  33  which  labour  in 
China,  and  Americans  have  been  happy  in  seeing  that 
half  the  Protestant  community  is  due  to  their  work. 
Here  in  the  Canton  district  thirteen  mission  boards  of 
America,  Australasia,  and  Europe  should  co-operate 
to  raise  a  memorial  to  Morrison. 


10«  NEW  CANTON 

When  conditions  are  so  favourable,  it  is  depressing 
to  find  that  the  inflow  of  missionaries  bears  no  relation 
to  the  inflow  of  foreign  capital  and  traders.  All  the 
Protestant  workers  of  all  churches  number  only  18 
unmarried  women,  26  men,  and  their  17  wives.  And 
the  total  result  summed  up  shows  only  10,000  com- 
municants. But  to  judge  from  the  Baptist  expansion 
in  the  last  eight  years,  which  adds  sixty-six  per  cent. 
to  their  results,  the  rate  of  increase  is  transcending  all 
experience. 

At  the  first  Mission  Hospital  in  the  world,  which 
has  been  an  important  factor  here,  I  saw  a  young  man, 
trained  under  Dr.  Kerr,  who  had  been  helping  in  a 
serious  surgical  operation.  About  2,000  operations 
are  performed  yearly,  on  2,500  in-patients  and  ten  times 
as  many  visitors.  This  is  the  work  that  broke  down 
the  initial  prejudice  and  opened  the  door  to  preachers 
in  dozens  of  towns  and  thousands  of  villages. 

As  Canton  was  to  be  the  last  great  commercial 
centre  visited  for  some  months,  we  laid  in  supplies  for 
the  long  journey  overland  to  the  far  western  capital, 
Chengtu,  in  Szechwan,  and  began  our  memorable  jour- 
ney to  that  distant  city  through  the  remote  provinces 
of  Kwangsi  and  Kweichow. 


IV 
KWEILIN 

PART  I.— THE  ASCENT  OF  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CASSIA  RIVER 

KwEiLiN  is  not  on  the  shore  of  "  the  homeless  sea," 
but,  like  every  other  provincial  capital  in  China,  it 
stands  on  the  bank  of  an  hospitable  river.  Although  the 
residence-city  of  the  Governor  of  Kwangsi,  its  interest 
for  the  intending  visitor  is  chiefly  in  the  character  of 
its  landscape  and  the  reputation  of  its  people.  While 
it  can  hardly  be  truthfully  said  that  the  city  itself  is  or 
has  been  the  home  of  many  distinguished  robbers,  rebels, 
or  revolutionists,  the  province,  with  its  wild  mountain 
fastnesses  and  forest-clad  hills,  has  afforded  ideal  ren- 
dezvous for  villains  and  patriots,  indigenous  and 
imported.  The  Broad  West  (Kwangsi),*  notorious 
in  ancient  days  as  a  mysterious  region  peopled  with 
grievously  mischievous  creatures  by  imaginations  de- 
generate through  the  loathsome  teachings  of  immoral 
priests,  renewed  its  reputation  sixty  years  ago  by  the 
activities  of  the  Great  Peace  Society. 

Rendered  famous  by  the  T'ai-p*ings,  the  explorer, 
full  of  anticipatory  joy,  hastens  to  its  forests  haunted 
by  wild  beasts  and  wicked  men,  its  crags  and  caverns 
from  out  which  successful  raids  on  poorly  defended  and 
unsuspecting  towns  and  cities  have  been  made  with- 
out number,  to  find  the  scenery  unsurpassed,  the  people 
polite,  active,  and  patriotic,  the  robbers  well-armed  and 
discriminating.  The  wild  beasts  still  roam  the  sparsely 
settled  mountain  ranges ;  the  determined  and  dangerous 

*The  name  really  means  "Western  Part  of  Kwang  (Chow),"  an  ancient 
province. 

108 


104  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CASSIA  RIVER 

mountaineers  still  occupy  caves  and  recesses  in  the  grim 
natural  fortifications;  the  dwellers  on  the  flat-lands 
still  revel  in  stories  of  daring,  midnight  attack,  and  hor- 
ror, mixed  with  tales  of  awful  beings,  unlike  anything 
in  the  heavens  above,  the  earth  below,  or  the  waters 
under  the  earth,  which  prowl  about  mostly  in  the  dark 
of  the  moon,  wreaking  vengeance  on  all  who  have  con- 
sciously or  unwittingly  awakened  their  terrible  wrath. 

Kweilin  is  situated  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
province  of  Kwangsi,  on  one  of  the  three  largest  tribu- 
taries of  the  West  River,  the  Kwei,  which  flows  through 
gorges  and  among  rock-masses,  often  fantastic  in 
design,  on  its  way  to  the  Si  Kiang.  Where  the  two 
rivers  join  their  waters  stands  Wuchow,  just  within 
the  eastern  boundary  of  the  province.  This  is  the  com- 
mercial capital  of  Kwangsi,  where  can  be  obtained  boats 
up  the  Cassia  River  to  the  political  capital. 

In  this  prosperous  treaty  port,  with  its  hospitals, 
missions,  and  foreign  merchants,  we  made  our  prepara- 
tions, and  from  the  cheerful  American  colonv  started  on 
the  ascent  of  the  Kwei.  Warned  to  keep  a  weather- 
eye  open  for  bandits,  pirates,  and  rascals  generally,  we 
took  on  a  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition,  and,  after 
the  heathen  boat-owner  had  made  suitable  ofl*erings 
to  his  gods,  put  out  into  the  current  and  began  in  real 
earnest  the  journey  of  six  days  to  Pinglo. 

At  Canton  we  had  heard  much  about  the  boat  popu- 
lation, and  so  decided  to  make  a  study  of  our  skipper, 
Loh  by  name,  who  figures  thus  in  our  diary  written  on 
the  spot: 

He,  the  skipper,  cannot  write  his  name,  but  knows 
at  which  end  of  the  journey  he  finds  profitable  cargo. 
The  craft  is  flat-bottomed,  with  three  covered  com- 
partments for  us  and  a  small  one  over  the  rudder  for 
his  wife  and  children. 


TO  BBOin  THB  BTDD7    OF   MCSIO   AT   80    TBABS   OF  AQM  IS   BATBXB 


10^ 


)f:^ 


The  name  Kweilin  is  composed  of  two  ideographs  Kwei  (j|^)  *nd  Lin 
(;f;j^) .  Kwei  (;|^^)  is  composed  of  two  ideographs,  one  meaning  a  tree(  ;p) ; 
the  other  meaning  a  scepter  (^).  Combined  they  mean  the  tree  which  pro- 
duces cinnemon  or  Cassia,  Also  used  as  a  metaphor  for  literary  honors.  Lin, 
(^i^),  the  second  ideograph,  is  composed  of  two  trees  meaning  a  forest. 
The  name  "Kweilin"  may  be  said  to  mean  "A  Forest  of  Cassia." 


106  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CASSIA  RIVER 

As  the  boat  was  not  making  good  progress,  we 
accused  him  of  not  properly  attending  to  the  Fengshwei, 
in  presenting  oiFerings  for  the  safety  and  speed  of  the 
vessel.  This  old  man  Loh  firmly  denied,  declaring  that 
he  had  killed  a  chicken,  let  off  fire-crackers,  and  "  put 
up  the  red."  When  asked  what  would  happen  if  he 
forgot  to  put  up  the  red,  he  replied,  "  How  could  I 
forget  to  put  up  the  red?"  To  "put  up  the  red" 
struck  my  fancy,  and  I  sought  information.  It  appears 
that  he  stuck  up  on  the  front  of  the  cabin  three  bits  of 
paper,  one  on  each  side  the  forward  entrance  and  one 
over  the  door,  then  took  of  the  blood  of  the  sacrificed 
chicken  and  smeared  the  papers  on  both  the  lintel  and 
door-posts.  This  constituted  putting  up  the  red.  So 
he  convinced  us  that  on  this  cloudless  day  we  were  well 
started.  The  chicken  had  died  that  the  boat  and  we 
might  live  and  outlive  the  dangers  of  the  rapids.  He 
expended  over  200  large  cash  on  fireworks  to  frighten 
off  evil  spirits  and  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  gods 
to  his  sacrifice  or  offering  of  blood.  Should  any  mis- 
hap befall  us,  it  must  be  attributed  to  something  other 
than  any  lack  in  the  initial  religious  or  superstitious 
preparations.  Loh  says  the  boat  "  has  a  temper,"  and 
in  that  particular  it  resembles  the  Dragon,  hence  he 
prevents  his  wife  coming  to  the  prow.  When  I  asked 
him  why  he  prohibits  his  wife  coming  to  the  prow,  he 
replied  with  this  startling  question,  "  Would  you  like  to 
have  a  woman  stand  on  your  head?  "  ^ 

*'  Old  Boards  "  ^  is  how  we  address  the  skipper  of 
this  flat-bottom.  Indeed,  every  captain  on  the  river 
is  so  addressed  when  there  is  any  desire  to  honour  him. 
In  turn  he  calls  Mr.  Oldfield  "  Old  Gentleman,"  which 
is  also  a  term  of  respect,  although  he  is  a  gentleman  of 
thirty  summers. 

'There  is  something  a  little  deeper  than  this.  The  Dragon  symbolises 
Light  and  the  Male  Principle,  whereas  the  Tiger  stands  for  Darkness  and 
the  Female  Principle. 

•  On  the  Yangtze  the  term  is  "  Ix)wdah"  (  -^  /q  Lao-ta,  "  Old  Great 
One"). 


wbbn  tou  oallor  on  thk  city  wall  it*8  hard  to  bidk  tbi 
hoksk's  TBACKS 

Old  Boards  had  his  hands  full  after  4  this  P.M.;  it 
was  while  navigating  the  Lower  Girl  Rapid.  The 
trackers  were  on  the  shore,  good  strong  men;  the  bam- 
boo rope  was  lengthened,  the  mast  was  strengthened, 
the  long  pointed  bamboo  poles  unleashed ;  the  crew  took 
off  their  shirts.  Thus  prepared,  we  entered  the  Lower 
Girl.  The  strain  was  terrific.  The  trackers  dropped 
upon  their  hands,  and  resembled  strange  four-footed 
animals  as  along  the  shore  they  scarcely  moved.  On 
the  flat-bottom  every  human  was  straining  to  his  utmost, 
as  the  boat  simply  hung  in  the  swirling  waters.  We 
also  gave  a  hand  with  the  punt  poles,  till  after  prodi- 
gious efforts  we  cleared  the  lower  rapid,  and  the  yelling 
of  the  boatmen  subsided. 

In  the  calm  water  Old  Boards  pointed  back,  saying, 
"  Full  of  devils.  I  can't  see  them,  but  there  are  over 
one  hundred  devils  there.  They  sometimes  get  hold  of 
the  rudder,  and  just  stop  the  boat.  They  hold  on  until 
the  men  are  tired  out  and  have  to  let  go — then  a  wreck. 
Last  moon  eight  men  lost  their  lives  there  off  one  boat. 
The  devils  got  them.  The  devils  are  hungry  and  poor, 
and  are  after  people  who  have  money.  So  I  threw 
over  rice  for  them  and  some  paper  money  till  they  would 
let  us  go.  I  always  throw  them  rice  and  money.  The 
eight  men  who  were  killed  last  moon  became  devils. 
Whenever  a  man  dies  he  becomes  a  devil  and  guards  the 
river.  One  devil  has  control  of  forty-eight  catties  of 
water." 

We  asked  Old  Boards  about  the  King  of  the  Devils, 
who  has  located  one  devil  for  every  forty-eight  catties 
of  water  in  the  rapids.  He  says  that  every  man  at 
death  becomes  a  devil;  then,  if  he  has  been  good,  after 
three  years  he  will  transmigrate  into  a  good  man,  but 
if  bad,  then  after  he  has  been  a  devil  equal  to  the  years 
of  his  life,  he  will  become  a  cow  or  a  hog  or  other  unde- 
sirable animal. 


108  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CASSIA  RIVER 

And  so  we  passed  the  Second  Girl  Rapid,  except 
for  a  few  minutes  when  Old  Boards  shouted  a  wierd 
song  to  scare  off  the  devils  of  the  Second  Girl.  He 
tells  of  six  pirates  who  were  killed  one  night  when  they 
attacked  him.  That  night  six  fresh  devils  were  added 
to  the  Cassia  River.  He  insists  that  all  officials  will 
certainly  turn  into  something  dreadful,  for  "  their  hearts 
are  poisonous."  "  They  kill  men  who  are  innocent, 
and  will  turn  into  something  fierce."  Old  Boards  has 
no  better  opinion  of  Chinese  officials  than  has  many 
another  Chinaman.  Beautiful  river!  Beautiful  Two 
Girls!  Too  beautiful  to  be  peopled  with  devils,  dark, 
dangerous  demons! 

The  hills  lack  human  inhabitants.  Why  I  cannot 
say,  but  few,  exceptionally  few  villages  appear  on 
the  river  shores.  It  may  be  that  the  water's  bad 
behaviour  has  frightened  off  mankind.  Steepness  and 
lack  of  soil  forbid  the  cultivation  of  the  hills.  This 
whole  province  is  spoken  of  as  sparsely  populated,  con- 
taining only  five  million  people,  as  few  as  Canada  lately, 
rather  more  than  Scotland.  If  the  shores  are  lonely 
of  humans,  the  water  bears  many,  for  coming  down 
have  passed  us  each  day  boats  of  divers  sizes  and 
carrying  various  burdens.  While  going  up  we  have 
passed  everything  on  the  river,  chiefly  salt  craft.  The 
Cinnamon  Hills  are  bare,  rugged,  and  precipitous  at 
points.  Pagodas  are  few,  temples  are  few,  gods  are 
few!  Among  the  people  on  shore  have  been  women 
pounding  putty;  it  goes  into  cracks  in  craft  bottoms. 
Vainly  has  the  eye  roamed  the  hills  for  tigers,  wolves,  or 
other  large  and  vigorous  game. 

Last  night  the  men  had  a  feast.  At  each  large  town 
Old  Boards  must  furnish  them  a  big  meal.  The  fire- 
pot  was  placed  forward  soon  after  the  punt  stick  had 
been  driven  through  the  prow  into  the  foreshore  at  the 
mouth  of  a  gorge.  On  the  fire-urn  was  set  a  vessel 
containing  pork,  and  a  jug  of  native  wine,  for  they  pre- 
fer the  wine  hot.     The  menu  called  for  vegetables  also. 


A  MAN   MOST   BEAT   HIS   OVTS  DRUM   AND   PADDLB   HIS  OWN   OANOB 

and  dry  rice,  to  which  we  added  a  pomelo  and  two 
oranges  each,  for  which  they  shook  hands  with  them- 
selves. 

Two  of  the  boatmen  are  small  farmers  who  own  a 
pig  or  two  each.  The  two  together  produce  500  man- 
loads  of  rice,  each  load  about  100  catties.  This  supports 
them  and  their  parents,  but  leaves  them  nothing  to 
barter  for  their  clothes.  So  these  two  brothers  go  on 
the  river  to  get  clothes-money.  Each  made  four  dollars 
going  down  and  two  dollars  going  up.  These  brothers 
are  different  from  the  other  men.  We  easily  picked 
them  out  as  superior.  In  China  the  farmer  class  stands 
next  to  the  scholars. 

At  the  close  of  a  November  day,  while  the  gates  of 
darkness  were  still  ajar,  we  glided  stealthily  into  quiet 
water  amidst  the  rocks  which  lie  just  below  the  Shao 
Pei  Rapids  and  drove  our  bamboo  javelin  in  the  firm 
beach.  We  saw  an  unhappy  hull  propped  up  on  the 
shore  undergoing  repairs.  Her  rent  bilges,  the  ghostly 
movements  of  her  doctors  as  they  shifted  about  in  the 
gloaming,  the  alarming  roar  of  the  rapids,  the  experi- 
ences of  the  fast  retreating  day,  all  fostered  a  feeling 
that  here  was  a  spot  where  a  vindictive  ghost  might 
prowl  with  fateful  feet  I  Immediately  an  ill  omen 
appeared:  a  boatman  ran  alongside,  hastily  pulled  up 
the  anchoring  spear,  and  towed  our  floating  coffin  (for 
in  the  pale  light  of  the  rising  moon  it  became  a  phan- 
tom-like creature  fit  for  conveying  the  illustrious  dead) 
to  a  still  more  lonely  berth.  The  reason  was  that  the 
skipper  of  the  upturned  vessel  on  the  shore  had  notified 
our  captain  that  later  in  the  night  his  crew  would  "  sung 
the  water,"  and  send  the  devil  down  stream;  were  we 
below,  the  devil  might  get  on  our  rudder,  as  devils 
always  go  down  stream. 

The  boat  which  lay  with  rent  sides  was  going  from 
Pinglo  to  Wuchow,  loaded  with  rice.     At  the  head 


no  THE  BEAUTIFUL  CASSIA  RIVER 

of  the  rapids  she  was  unpelled  by  the  terrific  swirl  of 
waters  against  a  sunken  rock,  and  nearly  met  a  pre- 
mature fate.  It  was  interesting  to  be  thus  at  anchor 
this  wierd  night  near  a  forest  where  tigers  roam,  beside 
a  rapid  where  devils  dwell,  with  the  ceaseless  roar  of 
the  waters,  seemingly  menacing  us  with  an  impending 
doom,  ever  in  our  ears.  Figures  moved  mysteriously 
in  the  shadow  of  the  lofty  precipice.  Fire,  a  black  pot, 
chicken,  and  pork.  Incense  was  lighted  in  great 
bundles  at  the  verge  of  the  water.  The  superstitious 
rite  was  begun!  The  shipwrecked  crew,  who  spoke 
only  in  whispers,  ate  the  chicken  and  pork,  having 
thrown  some  to  the  demon  in  the  deep  as  a  farewell 
feast.  Just  as  we  were  concluding  that  this  was  all  a 
ruse  and  that  in  actual  fact  they  were  hatching  a  con- 
spiracy to  attack  us,  right  off  our  starboard  quarter  the 
shipwrecked  mariners  leaped  to  their  feet,  uttered  a 
mournful  yell  (I  seized  a  rifle)',  threw  more  meat  into 
the  river,  set  off  fire-crackers,  and  then  stole  quietly  and 
quickly  away.  The  ceremony  of  sending  the  hungry 
devil  down  stream  was  finished !  The  captain  said  that 
only  a  hungry  devil  will  wreck  a  vessel  on  the  Cassia 
River.  Our  men,  after  talking  about  the  river  devil  and 
the  foreign  devils  on  the  boat,  asked  me  to  fire  my  rifle, 
and  when  I  asked  if  I  must  burn  incense  and  crackers 
to  keep  off"  the  wet  devils,  they  replied,  "  No,  they  won't 
bother  foreigners !  '*     This  was  a  great  comfort. 

Although  below  Wuchow  the  Wesf  River  gave  little 
to  attract  and  arrest  attention,  the  Cassia  River  is 
picturesque,  is  beautiful,  is  at  times  grand.  After  Pinglo 
the  traveller  need  never  have  a  dull  hour  until  he 
swings  against  a  boat  at  Kweilin  and  goes  ashore.  If 
it  is  not  the  Two  Girls  that  compels  admiration,  or  the 
Shoe-of-Silver  Rapids,  or  the  Spiral  Rapids,  then  it 
will  be  the  mai'vellous  limestone  formation,  now  gro- 
tesque when  seen  by  moonlight,  now  grand  when  seen 
by  sunlight,  now  uncanny  when  semi-enveloped  by  the 
morning  mist,  now  closely  approaching  sublimity  when 


A   DWARr   WITH   A    HEAVY    BDRDZK 

the  reflection  of  lofty  cliffs  and  a  long  line  of  domes, 
peaks,  pinnacles,  and  spirals  show  with  equal  brilliancy 
in  the  pure  crystal  waters  through  which  the  native  craft 
glides.  The  reflections  have  sent  the  wind  back  to  the 
Garden  of  the  Gods,  where  also  are  broken  lines  of 
pyramids,  spires,  sugar-loaves,  saddles,  and  still  more 
super-earthly  figures  to  greet  the  eye  of  the  willing 
beholder;  while  even  the  careless  will  be  compelled  to 
extend  admiration  to  the  rocks,  caves,  overhanging 
masses  of  mountain,  the  blue-birds,  the  fish,  the  bamboo 
rafts  (five  bamboo,  six  cormorants,  and  a  man),  women 
washing  in  Oriental  fashion  by  pounding  on  the  rocks 
clothes  otherwise  likely  to  last  forever,  the  cutters  in 
steep  and  dangerous  places  on  the  cliif  sides  gathering 
grasses  and  shrubs  for  the  winter's  consuming  (for  trees 
are  scarce ) ,  grain  growing  where  it  was  never  expected 

to  mature And  what  more  shall  we  say?     For 

our  vocabulary  fails  us  in  the  eff^ort  to  transmit  to  other 
minds  the  wonders  of  this  chain  of  lakes  that  reaches 
from  Pinglo  to  Kweilin,  fairy  regions  in  the  early 
morning  when  the  sun  full-orbed  shows  half  his  rays 
above  a  group  of  rocks,  each  suggesting  one  of  the 
mythical  gods  of  the  ancient  Greeks.  The  huge  rocks, 
resembling  nothing  so  much  as  lighthouses  on  the  coast 
of  fairy-land,  furnish  with  the  encircling  grandeur 
reflections  and  more  solid  scenes  to  ravish  the  heart  of 
a  Turner,  or  tune  the  lyre  of  a  Wordsworth,  or  string 
the  harp  of  a  David.  We  prophesy  that  the  date  lies  in 
no  distant  future  when  the  tourist,  wearied  by  the  ennui 
of  Europe,  will  find  his  way  to  the  Great  Wall,  the 
Great  Yangtze,  the  Great  Yellow,  and  the  wondrous 
elfin  tract  of  the  Cassia  in  its  upper  reaches.  Cassia, 
hail!  By  thee  we  sailed  into  Kweilin,  capital  of 
Kwangsi,  only  a  few  miles  south  of  the  watershed  part- 
ing from  the  basin  of  the  Yangtze. 


112  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

PART  II.— THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

The  Southern  Region  south  of  the  basin  of  the 
Yangtze  is  no  part  of  the  original  China,  and  has  often 
been  under  independent  rule,  just  as  all  the  east  half 
of  England  was  for  two  hundred  years  under  inde- 
pendent Danish  kings  or  princes.  But  exactly  as  those 
Danes  left  no  literature,  and  we  always  think  of  *'  Eng- 
land," reading  the  story  as  the  English  chose  to  tell 
it,  however  narrow  the  space  into  which  they  were 
cramped,  so  for  our  knowledge  of  the  Southern  Region 
we  are  quite  dependent  on  the  Chinese  Annals. 

They  tell  us  that  a  huge  Cinnamon  Forest  spread 
over  the  country  here  in  prehistoric  days.  We  wonder 
whether  the  inhabitants  then  were  on  the  level  of  our 
friends  the  African  Pigmies,  when  the  Chinese  of  Ch'in 
were  the  proud  possessors  of  bamboo  books,  or  whether 
they  were  even  nest-builders.  All  that  the  literary 
people  of  the  North  knew  was  that  occasionally  "  bar- 
barians from  the  South  "  broke  in  upon  them. 

There  is  a  temple  in  the  city  to  the  memory  of  Shun, 
supposed  to  have  lived  about  2200  B.C.  This  temple, 
however,  was  built  about  three  thousand  years  later,  and 
the  statements  we  proceeded  to  copy  from  a  memorial 
tablet  are  not  precisely  contemporary.  The  tablet  is 
broken  now,  with  many  characters  obliterated,  but  the 
following  is  the  legend  that  it  seems  to  give,  which  has 
no  precise  bearing  on  this  city,  but  refers  generally  and 
vaguely  to  this  Southern  Region: 

The  Emperor  Shun  bore  the  family  name  of 
Yao.  He  received  the  designation  CKung-hua 
[Double-flowery],  implying  that  he  rivalled  in 
virtue  his  predecessor,  the  Emperor  Yao.  He  was 
descended  from  Chuan  Hsii.  At  the  age  of  twenty 
he  had  acquired  a  high  reputation  for  filial  piety. 
At  the  age  of  thirty  he  became  the  colleague  of  the 


TaOCaU  THE  cow   BS  LKAN  IT  CAN   QIVK   THREE   BARRELS   OF  BONES 

Emperor  Yao,  whom  he  succeeded  on  the  throne, 
and  in  turn  he  chose  Yii  the  Great  as  his  own 
successor.  Fifty  years  did  he  fill  the  throne,  and 
died  while  inspecting  his  southern  provinces  at  the 
age  of  110  and  two  more.  His  virtues  have  been 
handed  down  to  10,000  generations ;  his  spirit  wan- 
ders abroad  and  is  confined  to  no  locality.  The 
people  of  the  south  cherish  his  memory  with  great 
affection,  and  have  established  this  shrine  to  offer 
sacrifices  on  a  site  where  offerings  were  made 
through  the  three  ancient  dynasties  of  Hsia,  Shang, 
and  Chou  [2200  to  255  B.C.]  as  also  in  the  time  of 
Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti.  In  the  11th  year  of  Ta  Li 
[776  A.D.]  the  descendants  of  the  Emperor  were 
dwelling  in  the  district  of  Lung  Hsi  .  .  .  [here  the 
tablet  is  mutilated.] 

Such  an  inscription  is  worth  as  much  for  history 
as  the  millennial  statue  of  Alfred  the  Great  recently 
erected  at  Winchester.  The  plain  fact  is  that  this  coun- 
try is  no  part  of  ancient  China.  It  first  came  into  con- 
tact with  the  civilisation  of  the  north  when  Ch'in  the 
Second  sent  Chao  T'o  to  Lung  Chuen.  This  man 
presently  added  the  South  Sea  District  to  his  govern- 
ment, and  soon  ceased  to  pay  any  allegiance,  took 
possession  of  more,  and  declared  himself  a  prince.* 
When  the  Han  dynasty  succeeded  in  the  north,  Han 
Kao  Ti  saw  it  was  best  to  recognise  the  facts,  and  sent 
Lu  Hun  Kai  ^  with  the  royal  signet  to  acknowledge  the 
principality.     On  his  death,  Chao  T'o  even  assumed 

♦  He  was  first  "  Viceroy  of  the  South,"  with  his  headquarters  at  the 
modern  Canton,  and  upon  the  fall  of  the  Ch'in  dynasty  he  proclaimed 
himself  Prince  of  Yiieh  (which  is  still  the  literary  name  for  the  provinces 
of  Kwangtung  and  Kwangsi).  With  the  exception  of  a  brief  period  of 
hostility  under  the  Empress  Lii  Hou,  he  remained  a  faithful  vassal 
until  his  death,  which  took  place  at  a  very  advanced  age  (137  b.c.). 

•  Chia  was  his  personal  name.    JJun-kai  may  have  been  his  "  style." 

8 


114  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

the  title  of  Emperor  which  Ch'in  had  invented,  and 
which  Han  Kao  Ti  had  copied,  but  when  the  Han 
Wenti  also  assumed  it  and  sent  an  embassy  asking  Chao 
T*o  to  call  himself  "  Servant  of  the  Emperor,"  he 
adopted  this  title,  and  transmitted  it  to  his  descendants. 
In  the  sixth  year  of  Han  Yuen  Ting  (111  B.C.), 
General  Lu  ®  killed  Chin  Te,  the  last  of  these,  and  the 
independent  principality  was  Koreanised. 

"  Tao  Kan  was  an  official  of  the  South  Sea  District 
[about  250  a.d.].  He  had  the  habit  of  carrying  one 
hundred  bricks  from  the  yard  to  the  house  every  night, 
and  back  again  every  morning.  When  asked  why,  he 
explained  that  he  was  having  such  an  easy  time  he  feared 
he  might  grow  lazy  and  lose  his  patriotism." 

One  would  think  there  was  better  work  to  be  done 
than  this,  when  we  find  constant  jottings  of  this  kind  in 
the  annals :  "  Two  thousand  robbers  came  from  Yung 
Ning  to  join  the  robber  chief  Lung.  At  the  same  time 
three  robbers,  Hsieh,  Tan,  Ho,  drew  after  them  3,000 
men  who  wore  nude  bodies  and  red  turbans.  The 
Righteous  Benevolent  Association  consisted  of  5,000 
robbers  with  red  turbans;  they  arose  30  li  south,  and 
disturbed  the  country  until  General  Wang  Hai  Ting 
fought  them  back  120  li,  then  enlisted  them  as  soldiers, 
forgoing  all  punishments."  Be  it  remembered  that  in 
the  official  vocabulary  "  robber  "  means  a  man  resisting 
the  government,  like  Hereward  against  William  the 
Norman,  Wallace  against  Edward,  Washington  against 
George  the  Third.  Some  of  these  *'  robbers  "  adopted 
a  triangular  badge  with  three  mottoes,  "  Peace  to  All, 
Correct  in  Temper,  Level  in  Heart,"  as  if  they  were 
pious  Y.M.C.A.  men. 

•This  "General  Lu"  cannot  be  the  same  as  Lu  Chia,  who  died  long 
before  this  date. 


WBBN  A   •  AT  SLKXPS   WITH  A   lUT,    DXATH   IS  WELL   IN  SIGHT 

"  In  the  days  of  the  famous  General  Ma  Yiian,  there 
were  in  what  has  since  been  called  Annam  two  women 
rebels  named  Cheng  Tse  and  Cheng  Er.  The  Emperor 
asked  General  Ma  Yiian,  to  go  and  hold  a  conflict  with 
them.  In  the  nineteenth  year,  first  moon,  of  Chien 
Wu  [43  A.D.]  these  two  women  had  their  heads  removed 
and  quietness  reigned  throughout  the  south." 

Such  are  fragments  from  the  Annals.  In  the  dis- 
jointed times  after  the  break-up  of  the  T'angs  in 
900  A.D.,  this  district  came  under  the  rule  of  the  Sungs, 
seated  in  Kaifeng.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  South 
Sea  District  was  divided  into  Broad  East  and  Broad 
West,  Kwangtung  and  Kwangsi,  a  division  that  has 
obtained  ever  since  and  is  now  nearly  a  thousand  years 
old.  What  European  state  has  had  its  boundaries  fixed 
for  so  long? 

The  earliest  building  here  of  which  we  know  is  a 
temple  founded  during  the  Sui  dynasty,  which  began 
in  589  A.D.  Its  story  is  recorded  on  a  tablet  of  which 
the  governor  gave  us  a  rubbing,  and  it  runs : 

"  In  Kweilin  temples  are  many.  Among  them 
the  most  ancient  is  this  Wan  Shou  Wsu.  Its 
names  have  often  been  changed.  When  it  was 
first  built,  in  the  Sui  dynasty,  it  was  called  Open- 
ing Era.  Under  the  T'angs  it  was  Promotion  of 
Virtue;  under  the  Sungs,  Tranquil  Old  Age.  In 
the  second  year  of  Hung  Wu  it  was  reduced  to 
ashes,  but  was  rebuilt  in  the  sixteenth  year  [1384]. 
Under  the  present  dynasty,  in  the  sixteenth  year 
of  Shun  Chih,  the  governor  of  Kwangsi  caused  it  to 
be  repaired  under  the  present  title,  Ten  Thousand 
Ages.  In  the  fifty-sixth  year  of  Ch*ien  Lung  the 
gentry  and  nobility  of  Kweilin  repaired  the  build- 
ing once  more;  especially  was  there  a  notable 


116  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

scholar,  Li  Feng  Weng,  benevolent  in  character, 
who  contributed  10,000  taels.  When  the  great 
work  was  completed,  the  Prefect  of  Kweilin 
examined  the  task  and  composed  this  inscription 
to  record  the  history." 

The  inscription  looks  at  the  ecclesiastical  side  only. 
It  is  well  to  add  that  at  first  the  temple  stood  in  the 
open  country,  but  under  the  Mongols  about  1300  a.d. 
disorder  was  as  rife  as  it  seems  usually  to  have  been, 
with  red-turbaned  rebels  troubling  the  district;  there- 
upon a  leading  official  proposed  to  build  a  great  wall 
here,  enclosing  both  the  temple  and  much  ground 
around.  This  was  ingeniously  chosen,  with  the  great 
river  on  the  east,  a  tributary  on  the  south,  a  back-water 
on  the  west,  and  a  marsh  on  the  north,  so  that  no  arti- 
ficial moat  was  necessary.  "  The  people  worked  will- 
ingly, and  none  seemed  to  get  tired."  So  arose  the  city 
of  Kweilin. 

When  the  Chinese  dynasty  of  the  Mings  expelled 
the  Mongols,  Hung  Wu,  the  Emperor,  at  once  sent  to 
demand  the  adhesion  of  this  district.  le  Er  Kih  Ti 
refused,  and  was  backed  by  a  grateful  people,  so  pres- 
ently Yang  Ching  appeared  with  an  army.  For  long 
the  siege  was  fruitless,  because  of  the  excellent  water 
defences.  But  the  general  saw  the  way  to  enlist  these 
on  his  side;  he  dyked  the  river  and  sent  it  flooding 
against  the  fortifications.  When  these  had  to  be  aban- 
doned, his  soldiers  effected  an  entrance.  le  Er  Kih 
Ti  was  captured,  taken  to  the  Emperor,  and,  as  he 
refused  to  submit,  was  beheaded. 

An  inner  wall  was  now  built  around  the  temple, 
which  was  converted  into  a  citadel  for  a  Chinese  Ming 
prince,  Shou  Chien,  and  the  citadel  was  named  Wang 
Fu.  He  evidently  had  a  difficult  time  trying  to  con- 
ciliate the  natives,  and  was  driven  to  associate  with  men 


GOLDKN   FLT 

of  low  standing,  till  at  last  he  gave  over  the  attempt, 
called  home  his  son,  and  abdicated  in  his  favour.  An 
hereditary  line  of  princes  reigned  here  until  Li  Tzu 
Ch'eng  captured  the  Northern  Capital,  Peking,  in 
1643,  ending  the  Ming  dynasty.  Then  a  certain  Hung 
Chia  took  possession  here,  styling  himself  Governor-in- 
charge.  For  seven  or  eight  years  none  could  predict, 
various  Chinese  leaders  raised  forces,  and  steadily  the 
Manchus,  who  in  1618  had  been  invading  from  the 
northeast,  extended  their  borders.  These  southern  pro- 
vinces, of  course,  held  out  longest  against  the  Manchus, 
and  not  till  1649  did  their  forces  capture  Kweilin, 
after  desperate  fighting. 

The  Emperor  Kang  Hsi  pacified  the  country  and 
employed  surveyors,  but  his  successor  drove  them  out. 
This  province  was  closed  to  Europeans  until  within 
living  memory,  nor  did  any  Christians  come  here  to 
reside  until  the  American  Cunningham  appeared  in 
1898.  Under  the  Manchus  the  temple-citadel  has  been 
utilised  in  the  examinations.  This  prompts  the  ques- 
tion whether  the  citizens,  not  being  Chinese  proper,  were 
more  ready  to  acquiesce  in  the  rule  of  Mongols  and 
Manchus  than  of  Chinese,  till  we  remember  that  it  was 
just  in  this  reign  that  the  T'ai-p'ings,  or  Chinese 
patriots,  organised  and  started  on  their  career  of  con- 
quest. 

Greeted  by  our  fellow-countrymen,  the  Cunning- 
hams, we  were  soon  pleasantly  ensconced  in  their  hos- 
pitable home,  which  we  declined  to  exchange  for  the 
palatial  entertainment  offered  by  the  government. 
First  of  all  we  were  struck  by  the  superb  scenery  in  the 
city  and  around  it.  A  city  of  pools,  schools,  and  poets 
would  be  expected  to  have  evidence  in  its  nomenclature 
of  the  poetic  instinct.     This  immediately  appeared  in 


118  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

the  names  of  the  streets,  such  as  the  Street  of  the  Five 
Beautiful  Pools,  Lion  Grove  Street,  Universal  Spring, 
Phoenix,  Righteous  Well,  Brilliant,  Spiral,  Literary 
Gate,  Wealthy  Pearl,  Happy  Crab  Apple,  Leisure 
Tower,  Approach  the  Day,  Prostrate  Waves,  Cassia 
Cliff,  Golden  Fish,  Reverential  Virtue,  Sunny  Kind- 
ness, Peace  and  Concord  Street,  and  One  Hundred 
Year  Neighbourhood.  Even  the  famous  floating 
bridge  which  carries  the  road  from  Wuchow  across  the 
Cassia  River  to  the  East  Gate  of  the  city  has  the 
charmingly  philanthropic  designation  "  Everlasting 
Almsgiving  Bridge,"  which  cannot  be  held  to  refer  to 
uninterrupted  importunities  of  beggars,  for  no  mendi- 
cants are  allowed  to  pester  the  passers-by.  Even  con- 
victs must  work.  We  met  such,  with  one  trouser-leg 
red,  sweeping  the  streets. 

But  we  ascended  the  Tao  Chi  Shan  the  "  Mountain 
of  Accumulating  Preciousness,"  that  our  vision  might 
be  wider.  The  hills,  the  solitary  rocks,  the  caves,  caverns, 
crevices,  dells,  ravines,  and  lofty  valleys,  indeed  the 
whole  aspect  and  tone  of  the  environing  landscape  of  the 
capital  suggest  poets  and  robbers !  We  speak  that  which 
we  do  know  when  we  say  that  no  other  capital  whatever, 
of  Imperial  Cathay,  viceregal  or  gubernatorial,  is  sur- 
rounded and  interpenetrated  by  "  rocks,  rills,  and 
templed  hills  "  of  a  variety  similar  to  the  limestone 
expressions  of  this  Cassia  city.  Adventurous  are  the 
cliffs,  peaks,  and  people,  fit  for  forming  conspiracies, 
amalgamating  men  and  metals  for  dangerous  enter- 
prises. Within  easy  reach  of  the  southern  centre  of 
political  influence  are  retreats  where  violent  men  might 
easily  secrete  themselves,  awaiting  in  safety  the  day  of 
the  moon  suitable  'for  their  bold  ventures. 

The  drift  of  poetic  progress  is  either  accelerated  or 
retarded  by  the  material  as  well  as  the  mental  geo- 
graphy.   We  were  not  in  the  least  surprised  when  a 


■ 

BHpr^tr^Qli^ 

1 

I  f        u  1  1 J 

'1  i  ii  III 

The  new  Hall  for  the  Provincial  Assembly  at  Kweilin.  Ruins 
OF  the  "Imperial  City"  are  still  standing.  Gold  and  Purple  Good 
Luck  Rock,  in  the  background. 


An  Historic  Room  at  Kweilin.     Here  convened  the  first  Provincial 
Assembly  in  the  Province  of  Kw^angsi. 


A  rat's   SYE8  CAN    SEK   BCT  AN   INCH   OF   LIGHT 

book  of  poems  written  locally  was  handed  us.  What  in 
common  have  pirates  and  poets,  whether  on  land  or 
sea?  Fancy  had  peopled  every  cave,  river,  hill,  with 
creatures  often  more  than  human  yet  less  than  divine, 
residents  not  fit  for  either  earth  or  sky. 

But  the  robbers  are  also  poetical,  if  we  may  judge 
by  their  names.  Take  those  first  mentioned  in  *'  The 
Good  Book,"  as  a  teacher  terms  my  source  of  informa- 
tion, the  band  of  the  White  Water-lilies.  A  cavern 
occupied  by  wayward  men  has  the  entrancing  name  of 
the  Cave  of  the  Evening  Sun.  Then  there  are  the 
Green  Water-lily,  the  Silver  Jar,  the  Auger,  the 
Picture,  and  other  eminences  including  the  Hill  of  the 
Seven  Stars.  But  to  revert  to  caves,  what  could  be 
desired  above  the  White  Dragon,  the  White  Crane, 
and  the  Cave  of  the  Fairies?  These  names  invoke  both 
the  poet's  muse  and  the  robber's  sense  of  safety  and 
repose. 

Our  host,  Mr.  J.  R.  Cunningham  of  the  Alliance 
Mission,  proved  himself  well  posted  about  robbers. 
This  is  an  excellent  trait  in  a  missionary.  He  is  not 
content  with  distributing  literature,  with  holding 
services  in  the  chapel,  with  opening  a  girls'  school, 
worthy  as  this  work  is ;  he  remembers  that  he  has  a  mes- 
sage for  the  outcasts  of  society.  He  tells  us  that  after 
the  war  with  Annam  many  soldiers  were  discharged 
unpaid,  so  they  were  nicknamed  Ya  Yang,  "  floating 
soldiers."  Naturally  they  were  full  of  resentment,  and 
went  out  with  fire-arms  and  became  robbers.  Then 
the  Chinese  officials  were  their  bitterest  enemies. 
Soldiers  were  called  in  from  other  provinces  to  go  and 
fight  against  the  rebel-robbers.  When  defeated,  the 
viceroy  would  degrade  the  official  and  send  somebody 
else,  and  as  the  soldiers  would  often  remain  loyal  to  their 


120  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

officers,  the  number  of  floating  soldiers  was  rapidly 
increased. 

It  must  have  been  in  this  province  that  Li  She,  the 
poet,  was  captured  by  brigands.  Ordered  to  give  a 
specimen  of  his  art,  he  uttered  the  following  impromptu, 
which  earned  his  immediate  release: 

"  The  rainy  mist  sweeps  gently 

O'er  the  village  by  the  stream. 
When  from  the  leafy  forest  glades 

The  brigand  daggers  gleam.  .  .  , 
And  yet  there  is  no  need  to  fear 

Or  step  from  out  their  way. 
Since  more  than  half  the  world 

Consists  of  bigger  rogues  than  they !  " 

While  robbers  are  still  a  prominent  feature  in  the 
life  of  the  province,  arrangements  are  being  brought  up 
to  date  for  them.  There  is  a  model  prison,  and  military 
schools  are  at  work,  while  all  manner  of  educational 
institutions  betoken  the  new  spirit.  This  being  the 
capital,  we  saw  not  only  primary  and  middle  schools, 
but  a  Technical  Institute,  a  Normal  School,  a  College 
of  Agriculture,  with  foreign  professors,  and  one  com- 
paratively unique  institution. 

We  were  fortunate  in  our  cicerones.  His  Excellency 
the  brilliant  Hanlin,  and  governor  of  the  province  had 
received  word  from  Peking  of  our  coming,  and 
graciously  offered  public  entertainment.  This  was  not 
accepted.  He  gave  a  banquet  in  our  honour  on  the 
Kwei  Tai  Shan,  when  such  delicate  dishes  were  served 
as  bird-nest  soup,  shark  fin,  pigeon  eggs,  turtles,  chicken 
liver,  mushrooms,  shrimps,  and  ducks'  feet.  We  heard 
afterward  that  a  governor  of  Formosa  who  retired  here 
to  end  his  days  used  to  prepare  these  delicacies  by  driv- 
ing ducks  into  a  room  with  a  hot  floor,  till  their  feet 
were  roasted,  then  driving  them  into  another  whose 


Portrait  of  Chang  Mix\-chi,  aggressive  Governor  of  Kwangsi. 
Presented  to  Dr.  Geil  by  the  Governor,  at  Kweilin,  the  Capital. 


W  IS  H  5E  m  i«i 

A  BLIND  CAT  CATCHB9  ONLY  A  D£AD  RAT 

floor  was  covered  with  delicately  flavoured  oil,  and 
keeping  them  there  till  they  were  saturated.  But  this 
ex-governor  has  passed  away  in  poverty,  and  our  host 
is  not  treading  in  his  footsteps. 

Four  hours  did  his  Excellency  spare  from  his  ardu- 
ous labours.  All  around  us  could  be  heard  the  sound 
of  chisel  and  mallet,  and  on  every  side  were  tokens  of 
the  great  building  operations  promoted  by  his  taste  and 
ambition.  Finding  that  we  had  antiquarian  leanings, 
he  was  courteous  enough  to  obtain  for  us  rubbings  of 
several  inscriptions. 

One  of  these  was  10  by  14,  and  we  have  already 
given  its  account  of  the  mythical  Shun.  It  has  been 
badly  treated,  for  in  the  Ming  dynasty  the  commander 
of  the  garrison  invited  a  poet  to  accompany  him  to 
the  mountain,  where  they  were  caught  in  a  thunder- 
storm. The  bard  composed  a  few  stanzas,  which  the 
general  was  Goth  enough  to  chisel  into  the  ancient 
tablet : 

"  On  a  spring  morning  when  the  sun  shone  out  after  rain. 
When  the  mountain  scenery  showed  to  the  best  advantage. 
We   gatliered   up   our   robes   and  wandered,   gathering  herbs. 
For  the  temple  of  Chung  Hwa  we  wrote  this  poem. 
All  round  was  silent  except  the  song  of  rare  birds; 
On  every  side  were  the  blossoms  of  peach  and  plum. 
Nigh  at  hand  was  a  deep  ravine  of  flowing  water; 
A  pool  of  size  produced  dragons  and  serpents. 
The  breaking  clouds  revealed  mulberry-groves  and  hemp-fields." 

Another  tablet  gives  a  hymn  just  over  a  thousand 
years  old.  Yet  a  third  dates  from  826  a.d.,  which,  after 
some  prose,  gives  a  poem.  Of  these  we  append  a  ver- 
sion by  Dr.  Martin: 

"  Where  the  Cassia  River  leaves  the  Mountains  of 
the  South  there  is  a  stream  called  South  Brook.  .  .  . 


122  THE  STORY  OF  THE  CITY 

On  the  hillside  is  a  cavern  of  nine  chambers,  and  the 
natural  scenery  is  superb.  It  kindles  the  imagination. 
In  the  second  year  of  the  Emperor  Pao  Li  of  the  T'ang 
dynasty,  a  son  of  Cheng  Ki,  by  name  Li  Po,  was  ban- 
ished to  Kweilin.  ...  In  his  poems  is  this  line : 

Beneath  this  lofty  clifF  I  could  pass  the  remainder  of  my  days. 

In  addition  to  this  line,  he  added  an  ode  which  was 
carved  on  stone  in  praise  of  Kweilin  scenery : 

ODE  TO  THE  SOUTH  BROOK 

This  frowning  height  sheds  beauty  on  the  Southern  Brook; 

A  new  fountain  springs  fresh  from  an  unseen  pool. 

The  cliff  and  fountain  are  alike  pregnant  with  spiritual  beauty. 

And  the  natural  scenery  is  befitting  to  the  mountain  wall. 

A  hanging  peak  seems  let  down  from  heaven; 

A  wondrous  cavern  appears  scooped  out  by  hand  divine; 

A  stream  meanders  through  its  endless  vaults. 

The  gemmy  pool  reveals  no  water. 

And  a  sombre  well  appears  unfathomably  deep. 

Rare  flowers  bloom  and  fade. 

Balmy  gums  drop  fragrance. 

You  would  think  the  place  the  workshop  of  an  ancient  alchemist 

Who  has  left  no  footprints  on  his  stony  path. 

To  the  south  you  view  the  clouds  of  Tsang  Wu, 

To  the  north  you  gaze  toward  the  Tung  T'ing  Lake. 

The  place  is  solitary,  far  from  wind  and  smoke, 

Cool  and  bright,  a  fit  abode  for  gods." 

To  banish  a  poet  to  Kweilin  was  like  sending  hum- 
ming-birds to  a  garden  of  morning-glories!  And  yet 
in  an  obscure  line  the  poet  seems  to  await  the  coming 
of  a  "  traveller  from  the  north." 

We  visited  the  Cave  of  the  Seven  Stars,  which  lies 
opposite  the  city,  across  the  Cassia,  and  is  fully  a  li  long. 
Accompanied  by  four  guides  and  guards  who  carried 
petroleum  torches,  we  entered  at  the  Fish  Dragon  Gate 


g  ^  Ml  |g  *?  W  ^  «« 

MO  MATTXB  HOW  SAM  YOU   UIDB  THE  KOO  THS  OHICRKK  WILL  HATCH 

of  the  cave  and  proceeded  to  view  the  following  objects: 
Prince's  Platform,  Fish  Dragon  Mouth,  Big  Snowy 
Lohan.  "  This  deity,"  the  lusty  guide  remarked  in 
a  voice  to  wake  the  Buddha,  "  has  charge  of  the  East 
Gate  of  Kweilin."  Then,  '*  Clouds  of  Heaven!  "  roared 
the  guide,  like  rolling  thunder.  Though  we  told  him 
our  hearing  was  good,  his  superstitious  soul  compelled 
him  to  shout.  First  Gate  to  the  Home  of  the  Fairies, 
Two  Dragons  Fighting  for  a  Pearl,  Stone  Fence — 
these  were  all  our  worthy  guardian's  interpretations 
of  curious  rock- formations.  "Bottomless  Pitl" 
shrieked  the  guide.  It  was  really  startling  to  have 
one's  attention  called  to  such  an  awful  object  in  a  still 
more  awful  voice.  We  looked  into  the  unfathomed 
cavity  into  which  people  who  desire  to  perform  good 
works  throw  live  fish.  "Dragon  Drum!"  roared  the 
guide.  Lamp  Post,  Third  Drum,  Door  to  Fairy  Land 
(third)  .  .  .  "Heavenly  Curtain!"  yelled  all  the 
guides  in  concert,  their  voices  echoing  and  re-echoing 
down  the  chambers  of  the  dark,  damp  corridor  of 
caverns.  Monkey  Stealing  Fairy  Peaches  .  .  . 
"  Fairy  Bed ! "  screamed  the  old  pilot.  Camel  and 
Lion,  Frog,  Fish,  Tiger's  Head,  Fairies  Eating  Pome- 
granates, Wind  Dragon  Tunnel  ..."  Three  Stars 
After  a  Snail ! "  thundered  the  conductor.  Then  fell 
a  stillness  which  was  awe-inspiring,  during  which  time 
we  were  solemnly  thinking  of  the  Almighty  Hand 
which  through  long  years  had  been  exquisitely  fashion- 
ing the  stalactites  and  stalagmites;  and  soon  after  we 
emerged  at  the  Prince's  Mouth  of  the  Cave  of  the  Eight 
Stars,  counting  our  guide  a  star  of  the  first  magnitude. 


124  THE  ONLY  FOREIGN  GRAVE  AT  KWEILIN 
PART  III.— THE  ONLY  FOREIGN  GRAVE  AT  KWEILIN 

Outside  the  old  West  Gate  of  the  capital,  a  Sab- 
bath Day's  journey  toward  sunset,  in  the  lovely  vale  of 
the  Roving  Horse  Mountain  lies  a  lonely  foreign  grave. 
Interred  two  bow-shots  beyond  the  Gate  of  the  Garden 
of  the  Gods,  and  where  the  winds  of  heaven  sweep  down 
from  the  Wind  Cave  Mountain  and  the  strange  flowers 
of  China  grow,  rests  the  frail  form  of  a  fellow-country- 
woman who  fell  into  her  long  sleep  in  the  winter  moon 
of  November.  To  show  our  reverence  for  the  dead, 
our  patriotic  devotion  to  the  memory  of  an  American, 
and  to  express  a  Christian  interest  in  the  repose  of  the 
body  of  a  missionary  of  the  Cross  in  this  land  far  dis- 
tant from  home,  we  made  our  way  along  Righteous 
Well  Street  to  the  Drum  Tower,  thence  along  Prince's 
Palace  Street  to  the  old  West  Gate,  where  we  paused 
before  a  stone  tablet  on  which  was  an  inscription  of 
Ch'ien  Lung's  time  forbidding  interference  with  the 
Dragon's  Bones.  Resuming  our  journey,  we  passed 
out  of  the  city,  crossed  a  stone  bridge,  and  approached 
the  towering  rocks  which  guard  the  entrance  into  the 
beautiful  Long  Valley  and  sentinel  the  lonely  sepulchre 
of  the  daughter  of  the  West. 

At  the  parting  of  the  ways  an  erect  slab  tablet  bade 
us  halt  again.  It  was  set  up  in  the  4th  year  of 
Kwang  Hsii,  2nd  moon  and  5th  day.  It  "  everlast- 
ingly forbids "  the  opening  of  the  adjoining  moun- 
tain with  a  chisel,  because  the  blood  vein  of  the  Dragon 
carrying  precious  prosperity  to  the  Confucius  Temple,, 
and  indeed  to  the  whole  city,  passes  through  the  Long 
Valley.  The  edict  decrees  that  the  Roving  Horse 
Mountain  be  left  undisturbed.  Then  follow  the  terri- 
ble words,  "  No  leniency  for  any  person  opening  the 
Roving  Horse  with  a  chisel."  And  turning  to  survey 
the  landscape,  behold,   bold  quarrymen  were  taking 


^  ^7p£  ^ 


125 

HOWEVER  CRUEL   THE   TIQKR   HE    NKVRR    DEVOtTRS   HIS  TOCMO 


stone  out  of  a  spur  of  the  Roving  Horse !  So  we  were 
living  in  the  present  even  in  China,  and  not  in  the  past. 
Continuing  along  the  same  route  followed  by  that 
solemn  procession  in  November,  we  entered  the  Long 
Valley,  and  stood  uncovered  beside  the  inclining  grave 
of  Beulah  Virginia  Funk,  the  Mennonite.  In  China  two 
short  years,  she  fell  asleep  in  this  remote  region,  and 
now  lies  amidst  lofty  rocks  on  the  southern  foothills  of 
the  lucky  range,  lonely  save  for  the  round  graves  of 
native  Christians  which  keep  her's  company.  The 
solemn  cortege  which  bore  the  heavy  casket  to  this  place 
of  tombs  passed  over  the  Dragon's  veins  and  helped  to 
crush  them!  That  short  life  destroyed  some  supersti- 
tion, as  these  round  mounds  testify,  and  taught  that  the 
course  of  prosperity  should  be  sought  in  a  loftier  ele- 
ment than  the  Mountain  of  the  Roving  Horse. 


KWEIYANG 

PART  I.— KWEILIN  TO  KWEICHOW,  FROM  THE  CASSIA  FOREST 
TO  THE  LAND  OF  DEVILS 

KwEiCHOw  Province,  once  styled  the  Land  of 
Devils,^  is  high,  not  dry.  Its  three  considerable  rivers 
were  all  wanted  to  carry  off  the  fog  and  rain  that 
descended  during  our  sojourn.  The  three  hundred 
miles,  more  or  less,  from  Kweilin  to  Kweiyang  led 
through  a  region  rarely  traversed  by  pale-faces.  A 
party  of  Frenchmen  met  an  Englishman,  and  said  that 
they  belonged  to  the  Lyons  Mission  and  were  going  to 
Hsing  I,  in  Kweichow.  He  was  overjoyed  to  hear  of 
the  reinforcement  to  the  Christian  forces  there,  but  was 
disillusioned  on  learning  that  it  was  a  commercial  mis- 
sion. Both  alike  are  rarities,  and  the  spiritual  missions 
have  only  twenty-four  members  as  against  seven  mil- 
lions of  people. 

Our  way  lay  over  range  after  range  of  limestone 
hills,  although  the  province  possesses  five  fertile  plains. 
These  mountains  are  occupied  by  the  Miao,  a  semi-bar- 
barous race  of  aboriginals,  picturesque  and  agile.  On 
our  first  night  we  stayed  at  the  village  of  Chang  Po, 
where  the  whole  population  of  eighty  families  turned 
out  to  see  the  first  foreigner  that  ever  passed  that  way. 
We  were  equally  interested  in  seeing  the  women  wearing 
bare  knees,  and  heavy  silver  crescents  on  their  necks. 
Less  to  our  taste  were  swarms  of  insects  from  ponds 
all  around,  which  betrayed  a  fondness  for  investigating 

*  Kuei,  fi^  means   "  devil,"   and   the  province  may  have  been  called 
"Land  of  Devils,"   for  aught  I  know.    But  the  present  name  -^  ff/^ 
Kweichow,  is  written  with  another  character  meaning  "  precious." 
126 


The  famous  Pagoda  church,  French  Catholic,  at  Kweiyaxg. 


Blue  Miao  Womex,  with  bare  knees,  wearing  kilts.     Near  Kweiyang. 


GRKAT   WEALTH   COMKS  FROM   FOKTHNB, 
SMALL  WEALTH  C0HR8  FBUM   DILIOENOF 

new  blood.  The  inn  of  Chang  Po  was  a  decrepit  edifice 
whose  keeper  distrusted  his  ability  to  provide  for  our 
caravan,  but,  being  assured  that  there  we  were  and  there 
we  would  stay,  he  cast  on  his  dung-fire  quantities  of 
incense,  and  prepared  to  live  up  to  his  notice,  "  Immedi- 
ately on  arrival  you  will  be  contented." 

The  Miao  have  a  tale  as  to  their  origin  which  we 
heard  on  this  journey,  but  which  we  reproduce  from 
page  172  of  the  "  Records  of  the  West  China  Mission- 
ary Conference :  " 

"In  the  legend  of  the  flood,  two  persons  survived,  a 
brother  and  a  sister,  who  were  saved  in  a  huge  bottle- 
gourd.  The  brother  wished  the  sister  to  be  his  wife, 
but  she  objected  to  this  as  not  being  proper.  At  length 
she  suggested  to  her  brother  that  one  should  take  the 
upper  and  the  other  the  nether  millstone  and  going  to 
the  tops  of  opposite  hills  roll  the  stones  down  into  the 
valley  between.  If  these  stones  should  be  found  in  the 
valley  one  upon  the  other  after  the  manner  of  millstones, 
she  would  consent  to  be  his  wife,  but  not  if  the  stones 
were  found  lying  apart.  The  brother  agreed  to  this  pro- 
posal; but  considering  how  unlikely  it  was  that  two 
stones  rolled  down  from  opposite  hills  should  meet  and 
be  found  in  the  position  required,  he  surreptitiously 
placed  two  millstones  one  on  top  of  the  other  in  the 
valley.  Then  from  the  hill-tops  they  rolled  down  the 
stones,  which  were  lost  on  the  hillsides ;  and  on  reaching 
the  valley  he  showed  the  sister  the  stones  as  he  had 
placed  them.  She,  however,  was  not  satisfied,  and  pro- 
posed that  a  box  should  be  placed  in  the  valley,  and  that 
each  from  opposite  hills  should  throw  a  knife  into  the 
valley.  If  both  the  knives  were  found  in  the  box  they 
should  marr\%  but  not  otherwise.  Again  the  brother, 
thinking  how  unlikely  it  was  that  both  the  knives  should 


128  KWEILIN  TO  KWEICHOW 

find  the  box,  put  two  knives  in  it  before  starting  up  the 
hill.  Both  the  knives  thrown  from  the  hill-tops  were 
lost,  but  when  the  sister  saw  the  two  knives  her  brother 
had  placed  in  the  box,  she  consented  to  be  his  wife.  In 
course  of  time  a  child  was  born,  deaf,  dumb,  and  with- 
out arms  and  legs.  The  father  was  so  enraged  that  he 
killed  the  child,  cut  it  in  pieces,  and  threw  them  about 
on  the  hillside.  Next  morning  these  pieces  had  changed 
into  men  and  women,  and  in  this  way  the  earth  was 
repeopled." 

In  our  own  version  the  flesh  human  and  spirit  divine 
united  to  make  the  Miao,  hence  the  Miao  are  descended 
from  the  gods. 

Such  is  the  autochthonous  account  of  the  origin. 
Chinese  antiquaries  have  been  busy  on  these  tribes  in 
the  Kweiyang  prefecture,  and  have  classified  them 
roughly  into  twenty-seven  groups,  which  they  name  by 
some  peculiarity  of  the  female  dress.  From  the  stand- 
ard history  of  Kweichow  we  select  a  few  paragraphs: 

The  White  Miao  are  so  called  from  the  colour  of 
their  dress.  They  wear  turbans  and  are  barefooted. 
The  women  wear  hoods  instead  of  turbans,  and  make 
up  their  hair  upon  a  long  hair-pin  usually  in  length  ten 
inches.  In  the  middle  of  spring  they  dress  in  gorgeous 
clothes  and  gather  themselves  upon  a  level  plain  to 
dance.  They  call  the  place  where  they  dance  "  dancing 
ground " ;  the  Chinese  name  is  "  tiao  chang."  .  .  . 
When  dancing  the  males  play  the  bamboo  pipe  or 
Lusung,  and  the  females  make  little  jingling  sounds 
with  the  metal  bells  on  their  skirts.  In  the  evening 
each  leads  his  or  her  love  home.  The  value  of  dowry 
is  reckoned  by  the  number  of  necklaces  the  bride  wears. 
They  offer  large  and  fat  bulls  to  their  ancestors,  and 
celebrate  festival  days  watching  bull-fights.  They  kill 
the  bull  that  is  the  strongest  in  the  fighting  and  offer 
it  to  the  gods  of  their  village.  .  ,  .  The  man  who  pre- 


KwEiYANG,  Capital  of  Kweichow. 


Amxm^x  «» 


AZDBB  HBAVXN   BESTS  ON   THK   HJEADS   OF  THI  GOOD 


Kwdyang  can  be  translated  "South  of  the  Kwei  Mountains." 


ISO  KWEILIN  TO  KWEICHOW 

sides  over  the  sacrifice  wears  a  white  long  gown,  and 
a  shorter  one  of  black  colour  with  rich  fringes  at  the 
outside.  After  the  ceremony  is  over,  the  whole  tribe 
indulge  themselves  drinking  wine  and  singing  love- 
songs,  which  results  in  an  indescribable  scene  of  bac- 
chanalian debauchery.  These  people  are  simple  and 
rude.     Cultivation  is  their  chief  occupation. 

The  Flowery  Miao  live  to  the  south  and  southeast 
of  the  provincial  capital.  [They  also  live  in  other  parts 
of  the  province.]  Not  infrequently  they  live  with  the 
Chinese.  For  the  dress  of  the  men  they  tear  down 
cloth  in  strips  which  are  spun  into  rugs.  .  .  .  These 
are  made  into  garments  which  do  not  open  in  the  front 
or  back  but  have  a  hole  at  the  top  just  large  enough  to 
let  a  head  pass  through.  [This  was  not  true  of  the 
Flowery  Miao  we  actually  saw.]  The  men  wear  on 
their  heads  black  turbans,  and  the  women  insert  horse- 
hair into  their  own  and  make  them  so  bushy  that  a  single 
head  resembles  a  magpie's  nest.  .  .  .  For  the  dress 
material  of  the  women  they  pour  wax,  cut  out  like 
flowers,  then  pour  on  dye,  scratch  off  the  wax,  and  the 
flowers  become  manifested!  This  scheme  is  used  to 
make  the  adornments  for  their  dresses  in  addition  to 
the  cotton  embroidery  placed  on  their  sleeves.  Hence 
the  name  Flowery  Miao.^ 

In  the  middle  of  spring  they  plant  a  fir  tree  with 
wild  flowers  tied  upon  its  boughs  in  the  middle  of  their 
dancing  ground.  Males  and  females  wear  on  that  day 
beautiful  garments.  The  former  play  a  bamboo  pipe 
and  the  latter  sing  love-songs.  In  this  way  they  dance 
around  the  Wild  Flower  Tree,  to  provide  means  for 
choosing  a  lover.  The  exchange  of  a  male's  girdle  with 
a  female  shows  that  both  of  them  are  willing  to  become 
one  pair.     And  the  marriage  presents  are  sent  to  the 

*Hua,  "flowery,"  is  the  name  applied  by  the  Chinese  to  themselves. 
It  has  struck  me  that  the  "Flowery  Miao"  might  be  so  called  on 
account  of  their  superior  civilisation,  rendering  them  more  akin  to 
the  Chinese,  as  indeed  they  are. 


l^ 


{" 


mi-mmm'si  i^i 


A  CLBVBR   MAN   UNDEBSTA^DS   A    NOD 


bride  according  to  the  number  of  silver  ornaments  on 
her  neck. 

The  bride  goes  back  to  her  mother  after  three  days 
of  marriage  and  will  not  return  to  her  husband  until 
she  has  borne  her  first  child.  When  a  Flowery  Miao 
dies,  the  dress  of  the  deceased  is  hung  upon  a  corner 
of  the  house,  and  the  chief  mourner  will  cry  toward  it, 
saying,  "Come  back!  come  back!"  Relatives  then 
come  bringing  with  them  wine  and  dried  meats  to  offer 
to  the  dead,  and  mourn  for  him.  The  mourners  sit 
around  the  corpse,  weeping  and  eating  beef  prepared 
for  them  by  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

Coffins  are  not  used  in  burying  the  dead.  In  choos- 
ing the  grave  ground  an  egg  is  let  fall  from  a  man's 
height ;  if  the  sod  does  not  break  the  egg,  then  the  spot 
is  considered  a  favourable  or  lucky  one  for  the  dead. 
When  sick  the  Flowery  Miao  in  the  Kweiyang  prefec- 
ture do  not  use  medicine,  but  make  prayers  to  deities 
and  offer  them  bulls  and  cows.  By  so  doing  some  run 
their  families  into  debt  and  waste  their  patrimony. 

They  take  the  sixth  moon  as  the  beginning  of  the 
year.  They  are  simple,  timid  fellows.  But  they  are 
also  diligent.  Cultivation  is  the  chief  occupation  of  the 
men,  and  spinning  hemp  is  that  of  the  women. 

The  Blue  Miao  live  to  the  south  and  southwest  of 
the  capital.  The  males,  who  carry  a  knife  wherever 
they  go,  are  dressed  in  blue  clothes,  bamboo  hats,  and 
straw  sandals.  The  females  cover  their  heads  with  a 
particular  handkerchief,  and  their  dresses  and  skirts 
fall  down  to  the  knees,  which  are  bare.  Their  marriage 
customs  and  ways  of  dancing  are  similar  to  those  of 
the  Flowery  Miao.  They  consider  that  they  have  great 
honour  when  killing  many  bulls  and  cows  at  marriages 
and  funerals.  When  sick,  instead  of  calling  a  doctor, 
they  pray  to  ghosts  and  take  charms.  They  can  speak 
Chinese,  and  are  a  fierce  people,  but  are  unwilling  to 
be  robbers. 


13«  KWEILIN  TO  KWEICHOW 

iThe  Chung  Miao  ^  wear  blue  turbans  and  shave  their 
heads,  and  are  dressed  like  Chinese  peasants.  The 
women  wear  long  many-tailed  petticoats  and  cover  their 
heads  with  flowery  handkerchiefs.  The  more  petti- 
coats a  woman  wears  the  richer  shie  is  considered  to  be. 
A  well-to-do  Chung  Miao  will  oftentimes  wear  as  many 
as  twenty  petticoats  at  one  time,  but  their  coats  are  so 
short  that  they  do  not  reach  very  far  below  the  loins.  A 
piece  of  cloth  with  mosaic  flowers  is  attached  upon  their 
back.  They  are  very  diligent  and  frugal.  And  their 
year  begins  with  the  twelfth  of  the  Chinese  moon. 
Their  chief  daily  dish  is  a  rotten  bone  mixture,  made  of 
animal  bones  blended  with  liquid  rice  and  preserved 
until  it  produces  a  very  strong,  sour  taste;  the  older 
the  mixture  the  better  it  tastes.  So  a  Chung  Miao 
boasting  of  his  wealth  will  refer  to  the  large  quantity  of 
the  sour,  rotten  bone  mixture,  generations  old,  which 
he  owns. 

They  have  no  proper  form  of  marriage.  In  spring- 
time they  dance  on  an  open  ground,  like  every  other 
tribe,  where  the  unmarried  ones  are  assembled  to  throw 
coloured  cotton  balls  and  sing  love-songs.  In  throw- 
ing balls  one  may  throw  at  any  one  whom  he  or  she 
likes.  But  if  the  one  to  whom  the  ball  is  thrown  picks 
it  up,  then  it  is  understood  that  the  picker  is  willing  to 
follow  the  thrower.  After  that  the  marriage  present 
of  bulls  is  sent  to  the  bride.  The  number  of  bulls 
increases  or  decreases  according  to  the  beauty  of  the 
bride.  A  present  of  fifty  fat  bulls  will  be  sent  to  the 
most  beautiful  ones. 

In  funerals,  too,  they  ofl^er  bulls  to  the  deceased 
and  indulge  in  wine-drinking.  Instead  of  drinking 
slowly,  a  big  bull's  horn  of  wine  is  poured  down  the 
throat  of  any  one  who  comes  to  mourn  the  dead.  But 
the  chief  mourner  is  not  provided  with  any  meat  or 

•The  Chungchia  tzu  are  the  descendants  of  former  Chinese  soldiers 
who  settled  in  the  country  when  Kweichow  was  subdued  by  China  in  the 
tenth    century. 


First  hospital  erected  in  Kweichow.     Also  the  kirst  ever  built 

FOR   the    MiAO. 


Flowery  Miao  Women  in  gala  garments — at  Lanha  Tien. 


TBK  MUSK   DKKR  CARBII8  ITS  OWN   PKKrCUB 

wine.  Coffins  are  used  for  burying  the  dead,  and  on 
the  grave  a  paper  umbrella  is  spread  for  a  year.  iTheir 
chief  musical  instrument  is  a  brass  drum  eight  inches  in 
diameter. 

It  is  said  that  some  of  the  Chung  Miao  keep  the 
Ku,  a  kind  of  poisonous  worm.*  There  are  two  kinds 
of  Ku,  the  golden  flying  worms  and  the  frog-worms. 
The  former  when  they  come  out  at  night  to  drink  water 
emit  a  yellowish  light,  hence  their  name  "  golden  flying 
worm."  The  latter  are  only  kept  by  the  women,  who 
sleep  with  them  during  the  night,  and  if  any  one  kills  a 
Ku  the  woman  will  die.  These  two  kinds  of  Ku  often 
bring  riches  to  their  keepers,  who  on  this  account  are 
always  wealthy.  A  Ku  must  kill  one  person  in  every 
thousand  days;  if  not,  the  keeper  will  be  poisoned. 
The  house  where  the  Ku  is  kept  must  be  very  clean. 

The  Chung  Miao  also  have  a  poisonous  preparation 
which  is  so  deadly  that  a  drop  the  size  of  a  needle's 
point  will  cause  instant  death.  They  carry  strong  bows 
and  knives  wherever  they  go,  and  are  revengeful.  And 
often  for  a  little  offence  they  will  cause  a  person  to 
die.  In  a  word,  they  are  a  people  as  cruel  as  jackals. 
The  so-called  Miao  Rebellion  [1850]  was  caused  by 
cruel  treatment." 

Here  end  the  translations  of  our  veracious  Chinese 
chroniclers  about  the  Miao,  a  fair  sample  of  the  exceed- 
ingly interesting  material  lying  awaiting  the  student  of 
primitives.  In  the  province  are  some  eighty  varieties 
of  Miao  and  other  so-called  aboriginals;  good  work 
could  be  done  here  by  a  specialist. 

*Care  should  be  exercised  not  to  confound  the  two  kinds  of  Ku.  One 
seems  to  denote  an  intestinal  worm,  not  necessarily  poisonous.  The  other 
Ku  is  a  virulent  poison,  which  according  to  the  Qiinese  is  prepared  by 
shutting  up  all  kinds  of  jwisonous  insects  and  reptiles  together  in  a 
box  and  letting  them  eat  each  other  until  only  one  remains !  "  Those 
who  have  been  poisoned  by  Ku,"  says  one  native  writer,  "turn  black 
all  over  their  bodies,  and  their  bellies  swell  to  a  great  size." 


1S4  PAIFANGS 

PART  n.— PAIFANGS:  PORTALS  OF  POSTHUMOUS  POPULARITY 

Approaching  Kweiyang  by  the  Kuchow  road  from 
the  foot  of  a  lofty  mountain  affording  a  wonderful 
view,  the  gaze  is  arrested  by  a  series  of  monuments 
spanning  the  paved  road  as  it  curves  gracefully  to  the 
city.  Each  consists  of  three  square-topped  portals 
embellished  with  fretwork  and  carved  figures;  it  can 
hardly  be  called  an  archway,  for  it  has  no  thickness,  but 
is  like  a  fa9ade  detached  from  a  building.  As  the  stone 
highway  passes  through  the  centre  span,  there  is  no 
shelter  from  sun  or  !rain;  no  base  utilitarian  value 
detracts  from  the  mere  beauty  of  the  workmanship  or 
the  merit  of  the  person  honoured. 

For  these  are  not  merely  ornaments,  they  are 
designed  to  tell  of  some  conspicuous  heroine  or  hero  of 
the  district.  Nor  may  any  ambitious  company-pro- 
moter, anxious  to  win  credit  or  good  luck,  erect  to  him- 
self at  his  good  pleasure;  every  case  has  to  be  adjudi- 
cated by  the  proper  Imperial  officials,  and  only  the 
highest  attainments  warrant  such  permanent  recognition. 

The  Egyptian  kings  prepared  their  own  monu- 
ments, the  pyramids.  Artemisia  is  said  to  have  immor- 
talised Mausolus  by  a  tomb  which  has  provided  a  classic 
name  for  such  posthumous  memorials.  The  Romans 
erected  arches  of  victory,  such  as  Titus  and  Constan- 
tine  have  made  familiar,  and  the  French  copied  in  the 
Arc  de  Triomphe  and  the  English  in  the  Marble  Arch. 
The  Greeks  had  struck  out  another  line,  in  statuary,  and 
many  a  park  displays  stone  presentments  of  local  celeb- 
rities. Colleges  have  been  founded  by  kings,  queens, 
Caius,  Downing,  to  keep  their  names  in  remembrance; 
lowlier  individuals  have  contented  themselves  with 
orphanages,  almshouses,  and  museums.  But  these  do 
not  match  the  Chinese  Paifang  or  Pailo,  for  the  former 
commemorate  the  donor  and  do  not  express  public 


A   GOOD    BOy    DOES    NOT   PUT   OS    FINE    CLdTElES, 
A   GOOD   GIKrj   DOES   NOT  GO   TO   SHOWS 

recognition  of  his  merits.  The  Roman  Catholics  have 
a  regular  trial  before  one  of  their  communion  is  beati- 
fied or  sanctified,  and  this  excellent  plan  is  not  unlike 
the  older  Chinese  method. 

A  few  are  built  in  wood,  chiefly  to  recall  some  such 
isolated  and  minor  act  of  virtue  as  the  rebuilding  of  a 
temple,  but  the  standard  material  is  stone.  Such 
memorials  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  dotted 
about  in  the  neighborhood  honoured  by  and  honouring 
its  hero.  But  not  even  Peking  can  show  such  an  avenue 
of  Paifangs  as  here  greets  the  eye.  On  this  one  road 
into  Kweiyang,  to  say  nothing  of  others  out  of  it,  the 
traveller  passes  beneath  twenty-nine  such  structures, 
assuring  him  that  he  is  in  a  province  which,  for  all  its 
remoteness  and  its  sparseness  of  population,  grows 
Women  and  Men. 

We  took  particulars  of  the  whole  series,  which 
enable  us  to  sum  up  the  kind  of  qualities  recognised  as 
entitling  to  public  honour.  We  found  nothing  in 
honour  of  a  man  who  is  descended  from  a  remote  ances- 
tor who  installed  himself  as  baron  or  earl,  and  who  has 
fattened  on  the  rents  of  a  country-side;  nor  anything 
to  hold  up  to  obloquy  the  successful  engineer  of  a  cor- 
ner in  wheat  or  rice;  nor  even  to  celebrate  the  builder 
of  a  school,  though  that  may  in  future  come  into  opera- 
tion here  in  Kweiyang.  Five  classes  seem  to  provide 
for  the  twenty-nine  heroines  and  heroes  here. 

To  the  memory  of  a  female  suicide  who  jumped  into 
a  well  or  by  other  device  lost  her  life  but  saved  her 
virtue.  Like  the  famous  Lucretia  in  the  West,  her 
sister  in  the  East  produces  a  profound  sensation. 

To  commemorate  the  excessive  virtue  of  a  beautiful 
young  widow  who,    although  young,   charming,   and 


136  PAIFANGS 

wealthy,  steadfastly  refused  to  marry  again,  even 
though  her  lovers  were  as  numerous  as  those  of  Penel- 
ope, and  all  of  them  exceptionally  desirable.  She 
remained  true  to  the  memory  of  her  first  and  only  hus- 
band. That  is  suificient  reason  for  the  construction 
of  a  massive  monument  made  to  span  a  main  highway. 

To  the  Senior  Wrangler  of  the  Hanlin  Academy. 
The  First  of  the  First  Scholars  of  the  Empire,  lucky 
enough  to  win  the  highest  prize  in  scholarship,  is  equally 
worthy  of  a  lasting  memorial,  usually  near  his  native 
place.  In  this  the  whole  village,  town,  city,  county, 
and  province  take  pride.  It  supplies  an  unreading 
public  with  an  object  to  awaken  desire  for  education  and 
prominence  in  the  State. 

To  keep  ever  before  the  minds  of  a  city  the  heroic 
deeds  of  a  general  who  by  strategy  and  heroism  saved 
the  place  from  the  sack  of  an  invading  army,  or  rescued 
the  besieged  from  the  jaws  of  death  and  the  women 
from  the  gate  of  hell.  While  war  remains  necessary, 
the  warrior  should  be  remembered. 

In  memory  of  a  philanthropist  who  refused  to  raise 
the  price  of  rice  when  a  drought  had  sent  up  the  cost  of 
living,  but  instead  contributed  liberally  to  the  abatement 
of  the  dire  effects  of  the  famine. 

To  this  general  summary  we  add  a  description  of  a 
single  Paif ang,  which  stands  outside  the  Red  Side  Gate, 
tastefully  designed  and  beautifully  carved.  This  we 
photographed  and  also  had  sketched  by  the  leading 
artist  of  the  city.  When  we  asked  the  cost,  we  were 
told  that  if  we  would  publish  in  the  sensational  local 
daily  that  he  did  it  for  us,  and  that  he  is  the  only 
man  in  the  capital  capable  of  doing  it,  we  should  have 
the  work  without  money  and  without  price.  Human 
nature,  the  same  everywhere!  We  preferred  to  pay 
him,  and  handed  over  two  taels.  But  not  yet  ready  to 
dismiss  this  portal  from  our  attention,  we  employed  still 
another  Chinese  to  copy  all  the  ideographs. 


Stone  Honorary  Portals  northeast  of  Anshun,  Kweichow. 


TBK  STUPID  THIKF  STOPS  HIS  KABS  WHBK  6TEAUMO  A  BKU. 

On  the  uppermost  slab  is  cut: 

"  The  Throne  Granted  Permission  to  the  Fam- 
ily of  Ch'en,  because  of  Fidelity  and  Chastity,  to 
Erect  this  Portal." 

Scrolled  upon  the  pillars  flanking  the  central  pillars 
are  two  inscriptions: 

"  Providence  has  compassion  upon  the  chaste 
soul  who  by  filial  piety  serves  his  father  and 
mother;  and  does  not  this  good  woman  compare 
in  beauty  and  conduct  with  '  Yin  '  and  '  Hsiin  '  of 
ancient  times? " 

"  The  grace  of  the  gods  is  pity  to  the  lonely 
but  chaste  widow,  and  the  virtue  of  this  woman  is 
handed  down  to  posterity.  She  well  compares 
with  *  Tao '  and  *  Heng '  and  will  eternally  have 
the  same  fragrant  memory." 

We  were  locally  informed  that  the  writer  of  these 
two  scrolls  is  the  best  writer  of  scrolls  in  the  province, 
and  that  they  still  sell  at  fifty  taels  the  pair. 

The  other  two  pillars  have  other  inscriptions  by 
another  author: 

"  The  filial  piety  that  will  cut  its  own  flesh  to 
heal  father  or,  mother  is  noted  in  heaven.  Good 
instruction  to  children  which  cost  distress  to  give, 
must  be  propagated  to  all  generations." 

Other  ideographs  say:  "If  a  mother  teaches 
her  sons  for  thirty  years,  as  regularly  and  persist- 
ently as  the  yearly  ice  and  frost  come,  and  they  will 
not  learn,  and  she  breaks  the  shuttle  of  the  spin- 
ning-wheel machine  by  which  she  earns  a  living,  still 
she  has  done  her  duty  by  them."    "  To  observe  all 


188  THE  LAND  OF  DEVILS 

moral  obligations  manifests  a  woman's  chastity  one 
thousand  li,  and  the  grace  of  it  as  much  as  rain- 
water, and  sheds  light  abroad  as  the  light  of  the 
moon  I " 

This  was  written  by  Hu,  a  relative  of  the  family  of 
Ch'en. 

A  final  couple  of  scrolls  apparently  express  the 
general  opinion,  not  of  officials  and  relatives  alone, 
but  of  the  city  at  large:  "  The  manners  of  the 
family  Ch'en  were  so  dignified  and  respectful,  their 
fragrance  was  like  the  epidendrum,  and  red  cassia 
flowers,  and  is  handed  down  to  the  children."  "  The 
portal  outside  the  Red  Side  Gate  is  high,  and  the 
chastity  of  Ch'en  Pao  Hsi  is  as  firmly  displayed  as 
the  durability  of  the  box  tree  and  the  age  of  the 
pine  tree.' ' 

With  such  high  testimonials  is  the  virtuous  Ch'en 
Pao  Hsi  belauded.  All  honour  to  the  city  that  in  death, 
if  not  in  life,  acknowledges  the  lustre  cast  on  it  by  its 
daughters.  And  thus  with  the  assurance  that  this 
remote  town  has  glorified  the  Empire  by  the  noble  deeds 
of  at  least  thirty  people,  more  than  are  celebrated  in 
cities  ten  times  the  size,  advance  we  to  scan  it  more 
closely. 

PART  ni.— THE  LAND  OF  DEVILS  AND  ITS  CAPITAL 
In  prehistoric  times  all  this  region  was  called  the 
Southern  Border  of  Liangchow.  About  1100  B.C.  the 
Chou  dynasty  called  it  Yungchow,  and  toward  the  end 
of  the  dynasty  the  king  of  Ch'u,  now  the  province  of 
Hunan,  named  it  Ch'ien,  a  name  that  still  obtains,  just 
as  the  ancient  Roman  term  Britannia  persists  after 
two  thousand  years.  The  whole  district  was  then  as 
completely  outside  the  Chinese  system  as  Britain  was 


Drawn  by  a  native  artist. 


Pailo  outside  the  Hong  Pien  Men,  Kweiyang. 


^  S  ill  vS  fc  Bl  BR  t  B$  A         139 

TO   WAP.N   MEN   AGAINST  WINE   SHOW  THEM   A   DRUNKEN   MAN 

outside  the  Roman  Empire.  But  as  Ch*u  Caesar  made 
a  raid  once,  and  when  Ch'in  made  a  precedent  of  sub- 
duing and  incorporating  the  south,  the  Hans  extended 
their  frontier  to  embrace  part  here.  Of  course  with  the 
break-up  of  the  Second  Empire  in  190  a.d.,  all  control 
here  ceased,  and  the  aborigines  returned  to  their  own 
ways,  as  did  the  British  when  the  Roman  legions  with- 
drew. 

The  Third  Empire,  of  the  Sui  and  T'ang  dynasties, 
seems  to  have  made  no  attempt  to  annex  this  Region 
of  Devils,  but  when  the  Chinese  were  subjugated  north 
of  the  Yellow  River  by  the  Tatars,  the  Sung  dynasty  at 
Kaifeng  sought  compensation  by  annexing  toward  the 
south.  A  few  tribes  made  a  nominal  submission,  and 
the  tract  became  known  as  Kweichow.  When  the  Mon- 
gols completed  their  advance  in  1280  a.d.,  they  found 
here  eight  principal  tribes,  each  with  a  head  chief. 

The  Fourth  Empire  then  sent  officials  into  the 
region,  which  they  organised  as  a  province,  though 
everything  had  to  be  managed  through  the  chiefs.  The 
Kwei  Mountain  seized  the  Chinese  fancy  as  auguring 
good  luck,  and  two  li  to  the  south  they  threw  up  an 
earthen  rampart  enclosing  space  which  they  called 
"  South  of  the  Kwei,"  or  Kweiyang.  That  was  the 
beginning  of  this  town.  A  later  moraliser  remarked 
that  "  the  ancient  kings  often  feared  lest  the  people 
should  be  content  with  their  low  estate  of  ignorance,  so 
in  establishing  cities  and  districts  they  were  wont  to 
bestow  on  them  high-sounding  names,  that  they  might 
lead  the  people  to  think  of  higher  things,  might  stimu- 
late their  spirits,  and  call  forth  their  energies. 

When  the  Chinese  regained  their  independence  and 
thrust  out  the  Mongols,  they  maintained  their  hold  on 
Kweiyang,  and  under  the  Mings  the  settlement  grew 


140  THE  LAND  OF  DEVILS 

into  the  head  of  a  prefecture.  Presently  the  earthen 
rampart  was  replaced  with  a  stone  wall  22  feet  high, 
9.7  li  around,  taking  in  more  land  to  the  north  and  pro- 
viding five  gates.  In  the  closing  years  of  the  last  native 
line  an  earthen  wall  was  erected  to  enclose  the  north 
suburb.  But  evidently  when  the  Manchus  conquered 
the  land  there  was  some  severe  local  fighting,  for  the 
walls  required  to  be  rebuilt.  The  city  was  then  chosen 
as  capital  of  the  province,  and  extensive  work  was  done 
on  its  defenses,  resulting  in  a  stone  wall  being  carried 
round  the  whole  of  the  outer  suburb.  The  Manchus 
displayed  some  tact  in  their  management,  for  they 
encouraged  Chinese  immigration  from  all  the  provinces 
round,  until  to-day  the  Chinese  near  the  capital  out- 
number the  aboriginal  Miao. 

Two  other  sets  of  immigrants  deserve  notice,  the 
China  Inland  Mission  and  the  Roman  Catholics.  The 
cathedral  of  these  latter,  who  claim  5,000  converts,  pre- 
sents some  interesting  architectural  features,  especially 
the  figures  of  French  soldiers  put  up  at  the  door. 

Chinese  usage  requires  that  the  Mun  Shen  or  Door 
Gods  shall  be  put  up  as  prints;  those  on  the  temple 
doors  are  the  same  design  only  much  larger,  ferocious 
in  aspect  and  menacing  in  attitude.  They  are  not 
threatening  the  inmates,  but  protecting  those  who  dwell 
within  from  every  form  of  hostile  foe  or  unwholesome 
influence.  These  are  almost  universally  employed. 
Was  it  not  natural,  then,  that  when  French  missionaries 
built  a  cathedral  to  take  the  place  of  a  heathen  temple 
those  tutelary  gods  should  find  themselves  displaced  by 
the  protecting  arms  of  French  soldiers?  And  was  it  not 
also  to  be  expected  in  a  region  supposed  to  be  especially 
under  the  eye  of  the  French  government,  and  likely 
to  be  invaded  by  the  legions  of  the  Republic  for  pur- 
poses of  permanent  conquest,  that  these  same  French 
gods  should  awaken  in  the  uneasy  minds  of  the  people 


8CB0I.ABS  ABI  THR  NATION'S  TBEASUBI 

a  deep  suspicion  that  the  missionaries  (after  all  their 
professions  of  disinterested  religious  activity)  were  the 
spies  of  a  Great  Power  seeking  to  add  to  its  Tongking 
possessions  the  contiguous  realm?  When  suspicion  of 
that  character  is  rife,  a  reasonable  caution  might  suggest 
a  whitewashing  of  the  guards,  unless  indeed  a  source 
of  misunderstanding  was  desired.  We  cannot  discredit 
the  French  nation  with  being  in  sympathy  with  any 
such  ulterior  motive  or  plan  of  aggrandisement. 

There  are  perhaps  100,000  people.  The  Great 
Street  is  well  paved  with  dressed  stone  slabs.  Business 
seems  to  prosper.  Well-built  shops  line  the  business 
streets.  The  province  has  exported  pigs'  bristles,  cow- 
skins,  and  medicinal  herbs  to  the  value  of  60,000  taels, 
opium  to  the  value  of  3,500,000  taels.  Here,  then,  is 
a  terrible  financial  problem,  as  the  central  government 
has  prohibited  this  crop  from  being  raised.  The 
governor  has  sent  for  cottonseed,  but  the  soil  is  not  suit- 
able. He  is  experimenting  at  the  Agricultural  College,' 
but  so  far  has  not  solved  the  question  of  what  to  grow. 

Schools  of  all  kinds  are  in  session,  including  a  School 
of  Parliaments,  the  only  one  in  Asia.  A  new  style 
prison  is  being  erected.  On  our  way  in  we  saw  the 
old  style,  a  man  being  carried  out  in  a  cage  to  be 
beheaded. 

The  changes  at  Kweiyang  are  most  rapid  and  most 
thorough.  We  were  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  strong 
light  thrown  on  some  of  them,  affecting  the  feminine 
side  of  life,  by  our  hostess,  Mrs.  Davies  of  the  China 
Inland  Mission,  showing  what  she  has  observed  within 
six  years.  Of  course  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  this 
is  a  region  not  thoroughly  Chinese,  and  only  peopled 
by  Chinese  in  recent  centuries;  the  manners  of  Boston 
do  not  root  deeply  in  Pike  County,  Missouri. 


142  LOCAL  LITERATURE 

Six  years  ago  all  female  feet  were  bound  tight  and 
fast,  and  women  laughed  at  the  idea  of  unbinding  their 
feet;  they  said,  "  Never,  never  will  we  be  like  men." 
But  now  not  a  girl  under  ten  years  of  age  in  the  whole 
province  has  bound  feet.  Wonderful  how  these  re- 
forms are  being  worked,  even  out  here  in  this  remote 
region,  by  the  quick  process  of  edict,  while  we  in  the 
West  accomplish  reforms  by  the  slow  process  of  public 
agitation  and  election!  Six  years  ago  girls  never  went 
on  the  street,  but  now  they  march  out  of  the  girls' 
schools  in  file  and  drop  out  of  line  when  their  corner  is 
reached.  Then  few  girls  could  read;  soon  it  will  be 
the  exception  not  to  con  a  book. 

Six  years  ago  girls  wore  bright  colours  and  bead 
flower  trimmings  and  expensive  dresses;  now  black, 
called  "  foreign,"  is  the  height  of  fashion.  Foreign 
buttons  are  for  sale  on  the  street,  and  "  pearl  "  buttons 
are  worn  by  girls.  Now  no  girl  paints  her  face,  a 
custom  once  universal;  if  a  girl  paints  her  face  now,  it 
is  regarded  as  a  sign  that  she  is  "  fast "  or  from  an 
uncultivated  family.  Now  girls  often  have  the  privi- 
lege of  refusing  the  young  man  proposed,  and  girls 
actually  refuse  to  marry,  something  unheard-of  in  old 
China.  In  new  China  a  girl  may  choose  her  husband 
much  as  girls  at  home  do.  All  girls  on  the  streets  wear 
long  gowns. 

Nor  are  the  changes  confined  to  women.  Scholars 
have  cut  their  finger-nails! 

PART  IV.— LOCAL  LITERATURE  AND   FAIRY  TALES 

Considering  that  this  province  has  been  under 
Chinese  influence  barely  three  hundred  years,  it  is 
surprising  how  much  literature  has  accumulated.  The 
Red  Men  produced  about  as  much  as  the  Miao ;  books  are 
due  to  the  white  immigrants  into  North  America,  to 
the  yellow  into  Kweichow. 


f^J 


H.  E.  Pang  Hong   Shu,  distinguished  Goveenok  of  Kweichow. 

From  a  portrait  presented  by  the  Governor  to  Dr.  Geil. 


AM   AFK   MAT   SIT   OS    A   THRONB 

It  is  hard  to  know  what  to  select  from  the  stores  that 
have  grown  so  quickly.  Perhaps  nursery  rhymes  ought 
to  come  first: 

"  Sleep,  sleep  is  coming, 

Telling  me  to  take  off  my  embroidered  shoes. 
The  matting  on  the  bed  bids  me  lie  down 
The  quilt  bids   me  cover   myself. 

The  pillow  bids  me  be  good  and  sleep  quickly. 
So  I  will;  to-morrow  I  shall  have  sweets." 

"  Great  aunt,  second  aunt. 
Ate  sweets  dipped  in  honey,  broke  the  pot  between  them, 
Became  angry,  visit  one  another  no  more." 

"  There  was  a  little  mouse  crawled  up  the  candlestick ; 
When  he  had  eaten  the  grease  he  could  not  crawl  down. 
He  tried,  but  broke  the  stand  and  made  a  noise. 
Then  soiled  the  ladies'  embroidered  shoes. 

Shoo,  shoo,  the  cat  is  coming! 

Mew !     Mew !     Mew !  " 

The  local  version  of  "  Little  Red  Riding-hood  "  is 
too  long  to  quote;  a  delightful  touch  is  the  wolf's  request 
for  a  bird-cage  to  sit  on  instead  of  a  chair,  so  that  his 
tail  could  swish  about  inside. 

Several  inscriptions  were  copied  for  us  by  rubbing, 
through  the  kindness  of  Thomas  Windsor,  a  Colchester 
man  who  after  twenty-five  years  in  this  province  knows 
it  like  a  native. 

PART  v.— EXCURSION  TO  SEE  THE  MIAO 

As  roads  are  the  only  means  of  communication, 
there  are  many  here,  and  some  are  well  paved.  We 
went  over  two  hundred  li  to  the  southwest  to  see  some- 
thing of  the  Miao,  who  have  taken  to  their  heart  a 


144  EXCURSION  TO  SEE  THE  MIAO 

sterling  Scot  from  Dundee.  It  was  thoughtful  of  the 
Westerners  to  send  Adam  to  this  primitive  people. 
Under  his  tutelage  we  saw  much  of  the  inner  life  of  the 
aboriginals,  and  heard  even  more  of  what  it  was  before 
he  began  to  modify  it. 

The  ordinary  Chinese  manners  have  little  in  com- 
mon with  those  of  this  aboriginal  tribe.  Yet  they 
esteem  themselves  better  than  the  Lao,  a  still  more 
aboriginal  people  of  whom  we  heard  that  the  women 
merely  cut  a  hole  in  a  square  of  cloth,  put  their  head 
through,  bind  the  hair  like  a  Taoist  priest,  and  are  then 
in  full-dress  costume.  The  Lao  are  fast  diminishing 
and  are  only  in  a  few  scattered  villages.  The  Miao 
are  in  several  reservations,  but  this  by  choice  or  because 
they  prefer  to  cling  to  the  hills,  like  most  free  peoples. 
The  pine  trees  are  being  hewn  down  for  fuel,  but  good 
crops  of  oats,  wheat,  buckwheat,  maize,  rice,  indigo,  and 
hemp  are  raised.  Chickens,  sheep,  goats,  and  bees  are 
reared,  the  honey  being  an  important  crop.  A  sort  of 
arrowroot,  potatoes,  yams,  peasj  and  beans  nearly 
exhaust  the  usual  produce.  This  is  carried  about  in 
baskets  on  the  back,  as  on  the  Swiss  hills,  and  is  traded 
for  cash  or  salt.  Some  tribes  fish,  with  net  or  cor- 
morant or  otherwise. 

The  Black  Miao  make  silver  jewelry,  and  their 
bridal  headgear  weighs  as  much  as  forty  ounces ;  birds  in 
front,  flowers  behind,  mounted  on  a  band  with  silver 
streamers  hanging  down.  But  there  is  not  much  handi- 
craft otherwise. 

The  Black  Miao  have  remarkable  dances.  A  huge 
copper  drum  open  at  one  end  is  slung  by  ropes,  and 
one  man  beats  it  while  a  second  ladles  out  the  sound. 
The  others  circle  round,  and  the  penalty  for  falling  out 
is  to  drink  a  cup  of  whiskey.  In  the  open  air  they  have 
a  different  figure,  like  the  spokes  of  a  wheel,  one  being 
of  girls,  the  next  of  men  with  reed  pipes  varying  from 


A  BUND   MAN  OARBTINO  A  LOOKING  GLASa 

a  few  inches  to  ten  feet.  In  the  Anshun  district  where 
we  were  visiting,  only  the  men  dance,  but  half  are 
dressed  up  as  girls. 

Others  of  these  dances  are  to  afford  opportunities 
for  courtship  and  engagement.  The  actual  marriage 
ceremony  may  last  three  days,  the  favorite  time  being 
after  harvest,  when  feasting  comes  natural.  The  bride 
dresses  in  the  robes  she  has  been  preparing  for  three 
years  past;  the  groom  sweeps  out  the  cow-house  and 
lays  down  fresh  straw  for  her  and  her  friends  to  sit 
down  on.  At  evening  of  the  first  day  the  bride  goes 
round  with  boiling  water  to  wash  the  feet  of  all  the 
guests.  Then  whiskey  is  handed  round  for  some  lips 
and  reed  pipes  for  others,  and  a  regular  symposium 
begins.  The  guests  praise  the  host  and  all  his  prepara- 
tions ;  he  belittles  these  and  lauds  them.  So  they  warm 
to  their  work,  a  continuous  sing-song  for  three  days, 
after  which  the  bride  usually  runs  home,  not  to  return 
till  a  child  is  born. 

Students  of  marriage  customs  will  find  antique 
methods  still  obtaining.  Marriage  ends,  or  is  supposed 
to  end,  a  period  of  recognised  license  when  girls  and 
boys  sleep  promiscuously  in  the  granary  or  corn-loft, 
or  when  the  lads  of  one  village  go  like  the  pied  piper  of 
Hamelin  and  wile  away  all  the  lasses  of  another  into 
the  moonlight  glades.  The  doctors  tell  sad  tales  as  to 
the  ravages  caused  by  this  and  the  omnipresent  drink- 
ing. 

The  funeral  customs  are  equally  peculiar.  After 
death  occurs,  three  cannon-shots  warn  the  villages  round 
and  the  smoke  directs  the  spirit  of  the  deceased  to  the 
abode  of  his  ancestors.  On  the  day  of  burial  each  mar- 
ried daughter  and  each  son  brings  an  ox,  or  at  worst  a 
pig,  all  of  which  are  offered  to  the  parent's  spirit ;  half 

10 


146  EXCURSION  TO  SEE  THE  MIAO 

the  flesh  goes  to  the  donor,  half  to  the  family.  At  the 
sacrifice  proper  there  is  much  music  to  entertain  the  de- 
parted spirit. 

Of  superstition  among  the  people  there  is  no  end. 
They  are  still  in  the  animist  stage,  and  live  in  continual 
fear  of  evil  spirits,  to  which  they  attribute  all  sickness 
or  calamity. 

But  this  primitive  people  is  becoming  self-conscious 
and  ready  to  recognise  its  need  of  rising  in  the  scale. 
Not  only  have  they  learned  from  the  Chinese,  but  they 
are  responsive  to  the  efforts  of  the  French  Catholics, 
v^^ho  have  placed  a  priest  among  them,  erected  a  church 
with  a  pagoda  front,  and  organised  their  converts. 
The  most  wonderful  civilising  work  is  to  be  placed  to 
the  credit  of  the  Dundee  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation. 


VI 
YUNNANFU* 

PART  I.— THE  LOFTIEST  CAPITAL 

Yunnan  is  the  geographical  name  of  the  lofty 
southwest  corner  of  China,  and  Yunnanf  u  is  the  highest 
and  most  western  of  all  the  gubernatorial  or  viceregal 
cities  in  the  Central  Kingdom.^  The  indented  and  ser- 
rated plateau,  larger  than  Great  Britain,  has  room  to 
multiply  her  population  fourfold,  and  the  capital,  lying 
in  a  basin  plain  a  thousand  li  in  length  in  the  lovely  lake 
district,  will  increase  in  size  and  importance,  for  it  is 
scarcely  behind  many  famous  foreign  health  resorts  in 
the  desirability  of  its  climate  and  the  picturesqueness 
of  its  environment.  Yunnan  is  the  Switzerland  of 
China. 

This  landlocked  province  of  Yunnan  has  now  a 
French  line  of  railroad  to  the  capital,  and  it  should  soon 
have  others  penetrating  from  Assam  and  Burma  on 
the  Szechwan.  The  fear  is  in  some  minds  that  such 
lines  might  forward  political  schemes  for  the  amalga- 
mation of  India  and  China,  which,  with  the  two  coun- 
tries completely  modernised,  would  certainly  make  the 
remaining  half  of  the  world  stand  back  and  think.  Such 
a  combination,  however,  would  mean  that  China,  which 
is  larger  and  homogeneous  in  written  language  and  race, 
would  partially  assimilate  India  politically;  but 
religiously  Hinduism  has  been  like  a  python,  able  to 
swallow  and  digest  nearly  anything.  The  process  of 
action  and  interaction  is  likely  to  be  long  and  compli- 

*  See  "  A  Yankee  on  the  Yangtze,"  by  William  Edgar  Geil. 
'Yunnan  and  Kweichow  are  governed  by  the  same  viceroy,  who  bears 
the  title  "Viceroy  of  YUnkwei,"  and  resides  at  Yunnanfu. 

147 


148  THE  LOFTIEST  CAPITAL 

cated;  but  the  aloofness  of  the  two  empires  will  disap- 
pear.    Here  is  an  opportunity  for  wise  statecraft. 

Yunnan  Sheng,  the  capital,  the  largest  city  in  the 
province,  is  surrounded  by  a  brick  wall  twenty  li  in 
circumference  and  in  good  condition.  Major  Davies, 
in  his  valuable  book  on  Yunnan,  estimates  the  populs^- 
tion  of  Yunnanfu  at  80,000,  which  corresponds  closely 
with  our  own  estimate  made  on  the  spot  independently. 
The  altitude  is  nearly  6,700  feet  above  the  tide,  which 
is  sufficient  to  act  beneficially  on  persons  who  require 
the  rare  air  of  lofty  altitudes. 

The  capital  can  boast  of  much  that  is  new,  including 
the  new  Assembly  Hall  and  the  Public  Gardens  out- 
side the  lucky  South  Gate,  not  far  from  the  terminus 
of  the  French  railway.  A  new  model  jail  occupies  a 
suitable  site  inside  the  West  Gate,  while  near  the  Little 
West  Gate  the  government  Medical  School  and 
hospitals  are  conveniently  located.  Outside  the  North 
Gate  a  few  li  from  the  city  wall  are  extensive  barracks ; 
also  outside  the  South  Gate  are  large  barracks,  while 
farther  off  and  to  the  south-southeast  the  cavalry  have 
ample  accommodations.  War  and  religion  are  absorb- 
ing subjects.  The  city  boasts  many  temples.  In 
mentioning  a  few  of  the  new  things  in  Yunnanfu,  there 
should  be  included  the  Cartridge  Magazine,  the  Normal 
School,  and  the  new  Armory,  which  stands  conveniently 
near  the  Wu  Hou  Shan. 

All  this  change  and  improvement  suggests  that 
THE  PAST  DIES  FAST  in  China.  To  overtake  this 
fast  fleeing  past  the  investigator  must  bestir  himself,  for 
the  Chinese  scholars  are  now  ashamed  of  their  ancient 
annals,  and  in  this  period,  between  the  disgust  with  them 
and  the  time  when  they  become  proud  of  their  folklore, 
there  is  great  danger  that  destruction  will  overtake  the 
old  writings.  This  added  zest  to  our  quest  for  the  books 
which  would  tell  of  the  strange  southwest  past,  and  we 


Map  of  Yunn.^jsifu,  highest  Capital  in  the  Central  Gloky. 


:^  H  /fe  "S 

rOOK  BY  OONDITIOK,   RICH  BT  AMBITIOK 


140 


"Yunnan"  signifies  "South  of  the  Yun  Mountains."     "Yun"  means  Cloud 

or  Cloudy." 


150  THE  LOFTIEST  CAPITAL 

take  some  pleasure  in  the  prospect  of  preserving  the 
Annals  of  the  various  capitals  now  collected  together 
for  the  first  time. 

The  new  buildings,  and  particularly  the  new  spirit 
abroad  in  this  great  Red  Province,  awaken  the  inquir- 
ing mind  to  the  importance  of  the  capital.  It  is  the 
residence  of  a  viceroy.  Indeed,  the  Chinese  wisely 
place  their  ablest  men  at  the  Imperial  capital  and  the 
most  distant  centres  of  political  importance;  hence  the 
western  capitals,  Lanchow,  Chengtu  and  Yunnanfu, 
have  not  mere  governors  but  viceroys,  always  resident. 

We  look  upon  this  region  as  promising  to  the  future 
Celestial  miner,  pastoralist,  and  agriculturist.  The 
most  important  product  of  the  soil  is  that  which  makes 
silk  possible,  mulberry  trees.  Of  rice  there  are  said 
to  be  fully  an  hundred  different  kinds.  We  have  gone 
to  some  trouble  to  learn  concerning  the  cereals,  vege- 
tables, fruits,  and  birds  of  the  southwest.  The  more 
attractive  rice  names  are  red,  white,  and  glutinous. 
Then  there  are  small  wheat  (which  is  oats),  swallow 
wheat,  pearl,  and  "  western  direction  wheat."  Millet 
is  white,  red,  yellow,  long-haired,  and  reed,  and  there 
is  still  another  bearing  the  odd  name  of  "  gray  bark 
millet."  Beans  have  been  in  the  past  an  important 
product  in  China,  and  will  become  more  so  now  that 
many  popy-fields  are  designated  for  the  raising  of  them. 
The  chief  varieties  are  sheep's  eye,  little  black,  tea,  hair- 
cloth, blue  pod,  great  black,  and  silkworm,  otherwise 
called  Buddha  bean,  which  is  sown  in  the  fall  and  ripens 
the  following  spring. 

Vegetables  are  numerous  and  attractive  to  both  eye 
and  taste,  as  almost  everywhere  in  China.  Ginger, 
mustard,  and  onions  abound,  and,  as  a  farmer  said, 
"  garlic  which  can  stay  out  through  the  winter."  Any 
one  who  has  caught  the  odor  of  garlic  from  his  servants 
will  wish  it  to  stay  out  all  summer  also,  and  forever  I 


Parrot's  Beak  Mountain. 


On  the  Road  from  Chowtung  to  Yunnanfu. 


S  A  »  ^  ''* 

AN   IMTBLLIOBNT   MAN    BBCOGNIZBS  THE   WILL  OF   HEAVIM 

There  is  cabbage,  and  turnips,  red  and  white,  which 
grow  two  or  three  feet  long  if  properly  tended.  The 
Yunnanese  are  also  fruit-gi'owers,  and  the  traveller 
notices  melons  and  pumpkins,  peaches,  apricots,  dates, 
pomegranates,  pine  seed,  and  pears  that  "  arrive  when 
the  wheat  is  ripe." 

The  region  is  famous  for  medicines,  and  is  immortal- 
ised by  the  wonder-working  Boho,  Yunnan  Boho!^ 
The  landscape  is  beautified  by  an  abundance  of  bamboo 
of  various  kinds,  including  "  kind-hearted,"  dragon, 
water,  hairy,  dripping,  Buddha's  heart,  and  cat's  head. 
Hemp  abounds,  the  "  fragrant  flower,"  blue,  and  white. 

Among  the  birds  are  seen  storks,  pheasants,  pea- 
cocks, parrots,  white  cockatoos,  eagles,  snipe,  wild 
geese,  and  quail.  The  animals,  aside  from  those 
domesticated,  are  different  sorts  of  tigers,  panthers, 
beavers,  foxes,  etc.  As  for  fish,  the  "  telescope "  is 
most  easily  remembered. 

PART   II.  — THE     FAST     FLEETING     PAST:     THE     "BROTHER 
BRIGHT"  ANNALS 

The  "Annals  of  Kun  Ming  Hsien,"  *  have  a 
preface  at  each  end!     The  first  preface  begins: 

"  The  best  of  literature  cannot  be  destroyed  by  wind 
and  frost,  neither  can  it  be  destroyed  by  water  or  fire ; 
nor  can  it  be  destroyed  by  sword  and  soldier.  This  is 
not  by  the  grace  of  man  but  by  the  will  of  Heaven. 

"  The  formation  of  anything  valuable  on  this  earth 
is  not  easy.  Yiin  Ying,  the  courtier,  wrote  these 
Annals.  And  the  work  is  of  such  a  character  that  it 
will  be  valuable  forever.  *  Half  of  the  flower  of  his 
life,*  five  years,  was  occupied  in  the  work.     But  from 

■  See  "  A  Yankee  on  the  Yangtze." 
*  Khin  Ming,  i.e.,  "  Brother  Bright." 


152  THE  FAST  FLEETING  PAST 

the  time  the  manuscript  was  ready  for  the  printer  until 
the  proofs  appeared,  a  period  of  sixty  years  elapsed. 
During  this  cycle  two  devastating  rebellions  interfered 
with  the  smooth  course  of  things,  the  T'ai-p'ings'  and 
the  Mohammedans.' 

"  Yun  Ying  wrote  many  poems  and  accomplished 
much  literary  effect,  but  the  blocks  were  destroyed,  and 
these  Annals  are  all  that  remain  of  his  prodigious 
labour.  As  this  is  all  that  escaped  destruction,  there- 
fore it  is  proof  that  Heaven  considered  this  as  his  best." 

Yiin  Ying  died  before  the  printed  "  Annals  "  were 
published.  He  gave  the  manuscript  to  his  son,  who  in 
turn  gave  it  to  a  large  guild  for  publication,  and  in  the 
twenty-seventh  year  of  the  last  Emperor,  Kwang  Hsii, 
General  Liu  Hsin-yiian  and  various  members  of  the 
guild  furnished  the  money,  and  the  book  went  to  press 
in  1902,  with  the  following  preface  by  the  general  at 
the  end — shall  we  call  it  a  postfac&,  as  the  French  do? 

"  I  have  been  absent  from  home  for  sixteen  years. 
In  the  summer  of  the  fifteenth  year  of  Tao  Kuang 
[1835],  a  friend  handed  me  the  manuscript  of  the 
Annals  of  K'un  Ming  Hsien,  explaining  that  K'un 
Ming  is  the  head  Hsien  of  seven ;  the  other  prefectures 
and  districts  have  annals,  but  this,  the  most  strategic, 
has  none." 

The  "  Eye  of  the  Book"  is  deeply  interesting  to 
the  outsider,  and  to  those  who  have  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  region  and  who  know  the  oral  traditions  it 
strongly  appeals.  "  In  the  fourth  moon,  first  year,  of 
Shih  Tsung  of  the  Ming  (1522  a.d.)  rain  and  hail 
destroyed  harvests,  and  the  Miao,  because  the  hail  hit 
them,  died  without  number.  Fourth  moon,  sixth  year, 
Chia  Ching,*  (1527  a.d.)  ,  the  Drum  of  Heaven  sounded 

• "  Chia  Ching "  is  a  year  title  of  the  Emperor  Shih  Tsxing. 


The  Golden  Temple  northe.\st  of  the  City  of  Yunnanfu,  built  by 
Cheng  Yong-ping  in  the  Ming  Dynasty. 

The  walls  and  roofing  are  of  brass,  the  steps  and  railings  of  Tali  marble. 
It  was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  worshipping  the  Supreme  Ruler  of  the  North 
Pole. 


GOOD  HXDIOIM  18  BITTKR  TO  THE  TABTB 

very  loud.  Eighth  moon,  fourteenth  year,  same  reign, 
a  star  fell,  sounding  like  thunder.  Seventh  moon, 
thirty-fifth  year,  a  comet  appeared.  It  was  several 
feet  in  length  and  lasted  for  a  moonl  In  the  summer 
of  the  twenty-ninth  year  of  Wan  Li  (1601)  there  was 
a  terrible  famine.  In  the  ninth  moon,  same  year,  great 
rain  and  snow;  in  the  eleventh  moon  the  peak  of  Loa 
Han  burst.  In  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  Wan  Li  an 
extraordinary  bird  screamed ;  the  shrieking  killed  many 
people.  In  the  autumn  a  comet  appeared.  The  same 
season  a  stalk  grew  in  the  field  with  two  leaves,  neither 
grain  nor  tares;  people  thought  it  represented  a  spear 
with  two  flags,  signifying  war.  Second  moon,  forty- 
eighth  year,  earthquake.  On  another  day  bloody  air, 
and  a  mist,  yellow  and  red,  gradually  turned  to  black 
mist  in  the  daytime  as  dark  as  night;  there  was  a  large 
wind  and  it  rained  '  like  pouring  water.'  Another  day 
the  moon  turned  into  a  yellow  and  black  colour  and 
the  stars  gave  no  light.  In  the  third  moon  a  sheep 
was  born  with  a  head  like  a  dog,  three  ears,  eight  feet, 
all  black,  two  tails,  and  the  body  had  white  spots." 
Wan  Li,  who  built  1770  li  of  the  Great  Wall,  had 
troublous  time  during  his  long  and  enterprising  reign! 

The  omens  of  the  past  dynasties  have  an  interest  in 
leading  up  to  the  omens  of  the  present  (Manchu) 
dynasty.  These  we  read  with  a  strong  inclination  not 
to  destroy  but  to  preserve  them.  The  marvellous  pro- 
gress making  in  Yunnanfu  cannot  be  fully  appreciated 
without  standing  off  for  perspective. 

"  In  the  fourth  year  of  Shun  Chih  (1647)  a  hen 
turned  into  a  rooster."  And  that  too  outside  the  South 
Gate!  "  In  the  eleventh  year,  fifth  moon,  north  of  the 
city,  at  the  Yung  Chien  Temple,  two  dragons  were 
fighting  and  broke  a  gate.     Sixteenth  year,  third  moon, 


154  THE  FAST  FLEETING  PAST 

hail  the  size  of  eggs  and  some  as  large  as  a  man's  fist 
rained  to  a  depth  of  two  Chinese  feet  and  killed  count- 
less animals.  First  moon,  eighteenth  year,  small  but- 
terflies covered  the  sky;  they  came  from  the  southeast 
and  were  going  northwest;  continued  for  a  moon. 

*'  In  the  fifth  moon,  tenth  year,  of  K'ang  Hsi  (1671) 
a  large  bird  visited  the  city,  and  a  great  flood  destroyed 
barracks,  thousands  of  rooms;  destroyed  men  and 
animals  without  number.  On  the  New  Year  day  of 
the  twelfth  year  of  K'apg  Hsi  there  was  an  earthquake. 
On  the  fifth  day,  third  moon,  an  owl  hooted  in  the  East 
City  Tower;  in  the  owl's  breath  was  white  smoke,  five 
feet  high,  four  feet  broad,  and  full  of  mosquitoes.  The 
dome  of  the  West  Temple  Pagoda  is  a  bronze  stork;  it 
cried  for  several  days  and  could  not  be  stopped  until 
its  head  was  cut  off!  In  the  same  day  a  great  bird 
came,  spread  its  wings  ten  square  feet,  and  killed  men; 
those  who  know  everything  did  not  know  its  name." 
This  is  all  in  a  serious  history,  written  in  only  the 
last  century  by  a  man  above  reproach.  To  many  of 
the  occurrences  there  may  easily  be  found  a  natural 
explanation;  some  are  but  the  workings  of  an  inflamed 
imagination,  an  imagination  wrought  on  by  the  super- 
stitious beliefs  of  the  day.  Out  from  all  this  worship 
of  the  marvellous  the  people  are  emerging  at  a  hitherto 
unknown  rate. 

The  author  of  the  "  Annals  "  spent  "  half  the  flower 
of  his  life  "  on  this  book,  which  has  divisions  as  follows; 
Boundaries,  hills,  and  streams;  Feng  Su;  Products; 
Districts;  Taxes;  Schools;  Worships;  Magistrates; 
Tributes;  Industries;  Literature;  Homes;  Beauties 
(women) ;  Antiquities;  Omens;  Tombs;  Miscellaneous. 
This  list  leaves  much  to  be  desired,  but  the  above  might 
readily  occupy  years  of  the  time  of  a  conscientious  com- 
piler. Probably  rather  than  travel  to  distant  parts 
he  fell  into  this  task,  for  he  says,  "  We  Yunnan  people 


^zm^i^m  "« 


FLAN    TUK    WHOLE    YKAR    IN    THK   SPRINO 


do  not  like  to  leave  our  homes,  especially  those  who 
live  in  K'un  Ming  Hsien;  only  a  few  go  out  of  the 
villages,  mostly  to  attend  examinations  for  a  degree; 
others  are  satisfied  in  ploughing  the  fields  and  cultivat- 
ing mulberry  trees  or  hemp  as  a  life-work.  Only  two 
per  cent,  go  with  carts  and  oxen  ifor  trade.  This 
indicates  the  simplicity  of  the  nature  and  customs." 

He  is  very  careful  to  indicate  clearly  the  location 
of  Yunnan.  Under  the  heading  of  Feng  Su  he  says, 
"  In  the  capital  at  Peking  the  Polar  Star  appeared  40 
degrees  above  the  horizon;  by  the  Yangtze  the  Polar 
Star  appeared  to  be  32  degrees  above  the  horizon;  in 
the  capital  of  Yunnan  the  Polar  Star  appeared  to  be 
24  degrees  above  the  horizon." 

Yiin  Ying  was  not  unmindful  of  "  Beauty,"  under 
which  head  he  furnishes  future  generations  with  a 
glimpse  of  the  women  of  his  day.  Under  a  subdivision  of 
"  Women's  Apartments  in  the  Home,"  he  writes:  "  Li 
Yin  San  died  at  eighty  years  of  age.  He  left  a  little 
daughter.  A  moon  after  Li's  death  the  father-in-law 
advised  the  widow  to  marry  again,  but  she  cut  off  one 
of  her  fingers  and  said,  "  If  you  can  joint  this  finger 
again  to  this  hand." 

In  no  other  great  country,  have  literary  men  been 
so  much  connected  with  the  government  and  rewarded 
by  it  as  in  China. 

In  the  "  flower  of  his  life  "  Yiin  wrote  much  about 
the  distinguished  men  of  his  province  in  his  and  previous 
ages,  but  we  prefer  to  take  a  sample  Yunnanese  from 
among  her  famous  sons  whom  it  has  been  our  pleasure 
to  meet  during  this  and  other  long  and  arduous  jour- 
neys throughout  this  vast  Empire.  The  fact  that  in 
China  men  are  not  permitted  to  occupy  office  in  their 
own  province  compels  one  to  seek  for  the  present  great 


156  THE  FAST  FLEETING  PAST 

men  of  Yunnan  in  other  provinces.  It  was  our  happy 
privilege  to  meet  one  such  while  visiting  the  capital  of 
Anliwei,  and  we  quote  from  the  diary  written  immedi- 
ately after  the  governor  had  finished  his  call: 

To-day  the  Governor  of  this  State,  which  has  a 
population  of  twenty  millions,  called  on  me  at  the 
American  Mission.  He  came  in  state,  accompanied  by 
a  large  display  of  military  and  a  few  distinguished 
civilians.  His  visit  lasted  for  a  full  hour  and  a  half. 
He  was  perfectly  at  his  ease  and  full  of  interesting  talk. 
He  was  unable  to  tell  the  precise  population  of  Anking, 
as  the  census  after  the  modern  fashion  would  not  be 
taken  until  next  year.  The  Governor  of  Anhwei  was 
born  at  Linan-fu,  due  south  of  Yunnanfu,  and  is  now 
an  Hanlin.  His  rise  has  been  rapid ;  he  was  first  made 
Magistrate,  then  a  Fu  in  Chihli,  then  Provincial  Judge 
in  Kansu,  Treasurer  in  Kansu,  Governor  in  Manchuria, 
and  as  Governor  of  the  Yangtze  province  of  Anhwei 
is  held  in  high  esteem.  He  is  said  to  be  very  brave, 
quick,  and  wise,  and  so  he  impresses  me.  He  is  pleasant, 
at  times  jolly,  laughs  heartily,  more  heartily  than  most 
Hanlins,  and  yet  his  face  when  in  repose  carries  distinct 
traces  of  sadness.  His  life,  I  should  guess,  is  in  danger. 
His  is  a  most  difficult  task  now,  when  China  is  drop- 
ping the  old  and  has  not  yet  properly  assumed  the 
modern!  Now,  when  there  are  dynastic  enemies,  when 
traitors  exist,  when  the  people  are  loosing  from  their 
ancient  religious  faiths  and  are  not  being  steadied  by 
the  Great  Faith  of  the  West !  He  does  well  to  be  sad, 
this  brave,  heroic  Hanlin  of  Yunnan.  This  Yunnanese 
has  all  the  virtues  so  dear  to  the  Chinese  heart ;  he  needs 
the  Chritsian  virtues  also.  The  nation,  if  I  mistake 
not,  needs  many  Hanlins  like  this  man,  Chu  Chia  Pao, 
this  Governor  who  is  sad!  He  says  the  new  education 
has  not  yet  proved  of  much  benefit  tb  the  Empire.  He 
might  have  said  that  temporarily  it  had  caused  many 
anxious  moments  for  the  future  of  the  Central  King- 
dom. ' 


iB|  S  %  ft 

A  TBIM  HOKSK  UAS  lOIfO  HAIB 


157 


I  find  myself  with  a  growing  sympathy  for  these 
men  who  are  at  the  helm  just  now  when  the  changes  are 
frequent  and  disquieting  and  threatening,  when  the 
whole  people  are  metamorphosing;  they  went  into  this 
process  slowly,  they  will  emerge  with  wings!  But 
whither  will  the  nation  fly  for  that  help  which  it  sorely 
needs?  The  Governor,  when  in  repose,  is  sad!  That 
abides  with  me.  He  left  me  these  two  hours,  but  the 
recollection  still  lingers  that  he  is  sad!  The  cares  of 
office  are  heavy  upon  him.  Were  he  not  at  times  sad, 
very  sad,  my  admiration  would  be  less.  He  quelled 
a  mutiny,  did  it  by  bravery,  with  few  troops;  others 
should  have  accompanied  him  when  he  went  out  of  the 
city  to  the  disturbance,  but  they  were  afraid.  He  led  a 
handful  of  men,  and  succeeded!  He  was  brave,  is 
grave  now,  is  heroic ;  but  brave  men  and  heroic  men  are 
often  sad,  should  under  the  circumstances  be  sad!  He 
is  fearless  in  the  face  of  danger,  but  he  is  sad.  Were 
I  an  educated  Chinese  I  should  be  sad !  ® 

We  cannot  now  think  of  any  one  enterprise  more 
likely  to  assist  China  to  real  strength  than  that  of  the 
Christian  missions.  The  missionaries'  in  Yunnan, 
Owen  Stevenson  and  others,  are  performing  heroic 
deeds  these  fast  changing  times.  Often  they  also  are 
sad,  for  what  are  forty  workers  among  twelve  million 
people?  But  the  day  dawns,  if  I  mistake  not,  when 
China  will  be  really  and  truly  the  Central  Glory. 

•The  great  Panthay  rebellion  nearly  mined  this  province.  The 
Panthays  were  Mohammedan  Chinese  who,  after  a  brutal  massacre  of 
14,000  of  their  fellow-religionists  at  Yiinnanfu  in  1856,  revolted  against 
the  yoke  of  China  and  made  an  attempt  to  establish  a  separate  kingdom 
in  the  province  of  Yiinnan,  with  their  capital  at  Tali  Fu.  Ambassadors 
were  sent  to  England  in  1872,  but  failed  to  inter^t  the  British  govern- 
ment in  their  behalf.  On  Jtm.  15,  1873,  the  brave  commander  Tu  Wen-hsin, 
having  first  swallowed  poison,  surrendered  to  Ts'en  Yii-ying,  who  had 
demanded  his  life  only,  but  eleven  days  later  treacherously  massacred 
30,000  people.  Ts'en  Yii-ying  has  also  been  held  responsible  for  the 
murder  of  Margary  at  Manwyne   (Yiinnan)   in  1875. 


THE  YANGTZE  CAPITALS 

VII 
SOOCHOW 

PART  I.— WHAT  IS  SOO? 

Soo  is  the  first  of  the  eighteen  provincial  capitals  to 
be  reached  from  Shanghai — seat  of  an  old  kingdom, 
the  Amsterdam- Venice  of  the  East. 

The  king  of  Wu  in  the  days  of  Pisistratus,  Ezra, 
and  Confucius  was  named  Ho  Lu/  who  assassinated 
his  predecessor  and  decided  to  make  a  new  beginning. 
He  bade  his  prime  minister,  Wu  Tzu-hsii,  design  him 
a  plan;  he  chose  as  a  site  an  archipelago  of 
islands  among  a  few  score  of  lakes  some  forty  miles 
south  of  the  Yangtze,  twelve  miles  east  of  the  Great 
Lake,  and  eighty  miles  from  the  sea.  Geomancers 
were  employed  to  consult  the  signs  of  the  heavens  and 
the  winds  of  the  earth,  then  to  taste  the  waters.  Then 
arose  a  rectangular  wall  some  forty-seven  li  around, 
with  nine  gates,  the  royal  number,  bastions  and  corner 
forts.  Within  it  were  laid  out  parks,  palaces,  libraries, 
and  comfortable  homes;  bridges  linked  the  islands, 
canals  intersected  them,  eight-foot  streets  reticulated 
over  them.  Three  former  cities  were  depopulated  to 
provide  a  people  at  the  artificial  capital;  and  lo,  Soo- 
chow! 

Not  only  did  Ho  Lu  have  Wu  to  make  Soo,  but 
he  also  had  Sun,  the  greatest  military  writer  of  all 
China's  ages  to  provide  patterns  for  his  various  military 

*The  name  is  variously  given  as  Ho  Lu  (by  Ssu-ma  Ch'ien,  the  his- 
torian) and  Ho  Lii,  a  different  character  being  employed  in  the  latter 
case. 

158 


Photo  by  Dr.  G.  F.  Stooke. 

Entrance  to  the  Wu  Shan  Gorge,  Yangtze. 
Seven  of  the  Capitals  of  China  are  accessible  by  the  Yangtze  or  its  tributaries. 


TO  FULL  ONI   HAIS  TBOM    THE   HIDK   OF  AV  OX 


1^ 


Soochow  means  "The  Soo  District."     "Soo"  signifies  to  revive  an  old  state. 


160  WHAT  IS  SOO? 

manoeuvres.  His  use  of  strategy  and  his  lessons  on 
**  The  Art  of  War  "  were  studied  by  the  generals  of 
Ch'in  the  Great,  who  made  an  Empire  out  of  the  fight- 
ing fragments  of  China.  The  following  quotation  is 
from  the  Introduction  to  Sun  Tzu,  by  Lionel  Giles,  in 
his  valuable  work  on  "  The  Art  of  War,"  translated 
from  Ssii-ma  Ch'ien: 

"  Sun  Tzii  Wu  was  a  native  of  the  Ch'i  state.    His 

*  Art  of  War '  brought  him  to  the  notice  of  Ho  Lu, 
king  of  Wu.  Ho  Lu  said  to  him :  '  I  have  carefully 
perused  your  13  chapters.  May  I  submit  your  theory 
of  managing  soldiers  to  a  slight  test?    Sun  Tzu  replied: 

*  You  may.'  Ho  Lu  asked :  '  May  the  test  be  applied 
to  women? '  The  answer  was  again  in  the  affirmative, 
so  arrangements  were  made  to  bring  180  ladies  out  of 
the  palace.  Sun  Tzu  divided  them  into  two  companies, 
and  placed  one  of  the  King's  favourite  concubines  at  the 
head  of  each.  He  then  bade  them  all  take  spears  in  their 
hands,  and  addressed  them  thus :  '  I  presume  you  know 
the  difference  between  front  and  back,  right  hand  and 
left  hand?     The  girls  replied: '  yes.'    Sun  Tzii  went  on : 

*  When  I  say,  "  Eyes  front,"  you  must  look  straight 
ahead.  When  I  say,  "  Left  turn,"  you  must  face  toward 
your  left  hand.'  Again  the  girls  assented.  The  words  of 
command  having  been  thus  explained,  he  set  up  the 
halbreds  and  battle-axes  in  order  to  begin  the  drill. 
Then,  to  the  sound  of  drums,  he  gave  the  order,  *  Right 
turn ! '  But  the  girls  only  burst  out  laughing.  Sun 
Tzii  said :  '  If  words  of  command  are  not  clear  and  dis- 
tinct, if  orders  are  not  thoroughly  understood,  the  gen- 
eral is  to  blame But  if  his  orders  are  clear 

and  the  soldiers  disobey,  then  it  is  the  fault  of  their  oflS- 
cers.'  So  saying,  he  ordered  the  leaders  of  the  two  com- 
panies to  be  beheaded.  Now  the  king  of  Wu  was  watch- 
ing them  from  the  top  of  a  raised  pavilion ;  and  when  he 


Soociiow,  (tIbeuxatorial  Capital  of  Kianusu, 


m^  r>vtm'AM  i" 


BABBITS   DO   NOT   EAT   ROADSIDE   GRASS 


saw  that  his  favourite  concubines  were  about  to  be 
executed,  he  was  greatly  alarmed  and  hurriedly  sent 
down  the  following  message :  '  We  are  now  quite  satis- 
fied as  to  the  ability  of  our  general  to  handle  troops. 
If  we  are  bereft  of  these  two  concubines,  our  meat  and 
drink  will  lose  their  savour.  It  is  our  wish  that  they 
shall  not  be  beheaded.'  Sun  Tzu  replied :  *  Having  once 
received  his  Majesty's  commission  to  be  general  of  his 
forces,  there  are  certain  commands  of  his  Majesty 
which,  acting  in  that  capacity,  I  am  unable  to  accept.' 
Accordingly,  he  had  the  two  leaders  beheaded,  and 
straightway  installed  the  pair  next  in  order  as  leaders  in 
their  place.  When  this  had  been  done,  the  drum  was 
sounded  for  drill  once  more ;  and  the  girls  went  through 
all  the  evolutions,  turning  to  the  right  or  to  the  left, 
marching  ahead  or  wheeling  back,  kneeling  or  standing, 
with  perfect  accuracy  and  precision,  not  venturing  to 
utter  a  sound.  Then  Sun  Tzu  sent  a  messenger  to  the 
king,  saying :  '  Your  soldiers,  sire,  are  now  properly 
drilled  and  disciplined,  and  ready  for  your  Majesty's 
inspection.  They  can  be  put  to  any  use  that  their 
sovereign  may  desire;  bid  them  go  through  fire  and 
water  and  they  will  obey.  .  .  .  And  Sun  Tzii  shared 
the  might  of  the  king." 

Ho  Lu  died  ^  and  was  buried ;  his  son,  Fu  Ch'ai, 
proceeded  to  dissipate  his  treasures  in  the  usual  round 
of  Oriental  dissipation — a  lake  of  wine,  a  ballet  troupe. 
The  prime  minister  expostulated,  and  was  sent  a 
jewelled  sword  as  a  polite  hint  to  cut  it  short.  He 
therefore  committed  suicide ;  but  the  people  rescued  his 
body  from  the  canal  and  made  a  national  mourning. 
Since  that  day  the  city  has  been  noted  for  its  suicides 
— over  the  walls,  down  the  wells,  off  the  pagodas,  into 
the  canals ;  poison,  dagger,  and  smallpox. 

*Ho  Lu  was  killed  in  496  b.c. 
11 


162  WHAT  IS  SOO? 

Changes  have  of  course  taken  place.  Some  of  the 
original  gates  have  been  closed,  probably  for  "  good 
luck "  reasons,  another  has  been  opened ;  now  there 
are  six  water  gates,  and  six  street  gates,  each  of  which 
has  a  barbican  enclosing  some  half  an  acre.  Outside 
the  walls  are  of  course  extensive  suburbs,  with  inns  for 
late  arrivals. 

It  is  important  to  get  hold  of  the  fact  that  the  land 
here  is  an  accident ;  the  water  is  the  chief  thing.  There 
are  islands,  which  are  useful  to  separate  the  different 
canals  and  lagoons.  The  water-ways  are  as  far  superior 
to  the  paths  as  are  those  in  Venice.  And  the  Grand 
Canal  in  these  parts  dates  from  an  ancient  time,  provid- 
ing water-carriage  from  the  city  all  over  the  Yangtze 
basin  and  across  country  to  the  Hwang-ho. 

The  next  great  change  in  the  architecture  of  the 
city  is  due  to  the  arrival  of  Buddhism.  The  Indian 
monks  were  accustomed  to  erect  dagobas,  monumental 
spires.  The  Chinese  idea  of  towers  to  attract  "  good 
luck  "  chimed  in  well  with  the  new  suggestion,  and  soon 
there  came  about  the  characteristic  pagodas.  The 
earliest  of  all  is  supposed  to  have  been  erected  here. 
For  the  most  beautiful,  take  the  description  by  Dr. 
Hampden  du  Bose,  of  the  Southern  Presbyterian  Mis- 
sion. 

"  The  glory  of  the  capital  is  the  Great  Pagoda,  the 
highest  in  China,  and  so  the  highest  on  terra  firma. 
Stand  near  it  and  behold  one  of  the  greatest  wonders 
of  the  world  I  Count  the  stories,  note  the  verandas,  see 
the  doors,  as  so  many  pigeon-holes,  and  men  as  pigmies 
on  those  giddy  heights !  Consider  the  foundations,  and 
what  a  quarry  of  hewn  stone  supports  that  mighty  pile 
of  masonry,  which,  including  its  spiral  crown,  rises  to 
nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height.  Walk 
round  the  base,  which,  with  the  shed  room  on  the  ground 
floor,  is  one  hundred  feet  in  diameter  or  one  hundred 


A  *  -  +,  W  * 


163 


IF  THS  DISTANOK  7R0M  NOSE  TO  LIP  BS  OMK  INCH,   EE  WILL  LIVB 
100  TEAKS 


yards  around.  Note  the  images  in  basso-relievo  among 
the  clouds,  carved  on  stones,  seated  upon  the  roof,  hid- 
ing in  the  niches,  and  sitting  majestically  upon  the 
shrines,  Buddhist  gods  inside  and  Brahman  divinities 
without — two  hundred  in  number;  it  is  a  high  temple 
of  heathenism.  The  name  of  the  Sir  Christopher  Wren 
who  planned  this  tower  has  not  come  down  to  us,  but 
we  can  admire  the  skill  of  the  master  hand  which  drew 
the  lines.  The  walls  are  octagonal,  one  wall  within  and 
one  without,  or  a  pagoda  within  a  pagoda;  each  wall 
ten  feet  thick,  the  steps  rising  between  them  by  easy 
gradations  with  a  walk  around  before  the  next  flight 
is  reached,  the  floors  being  paved  with  brick  two  feet 
square.  There  are  eight  doors  to  each  of  the  nine 
stories,  and  with  the  cross  passages  the  halls  are  full  of 
light.  And  what  wonderful  proportions!  Sixty  feet 
in  diameter  at  the  base,  it  tapers  to  forty-five  feet  on 
the  upper  floor ;  each  story  slightly  lower  as  you  ascend, 
each  door  smaller,  each  veranda  narrower.  Walk  round 
these  porches;  see  the  city  lying  at  your  feet;  the 
Dragon  Street,  running  south  to  the  Confucian  Temple ; 
the  Great  Lake  to  the  west;  the  range  of  hills  and  the 
picturesque  pagodas  that  crown  the  jutting  eminences; 
the  plain  dotted  every  fourth  mile  with  hamlets.  See 
the  pagoda  to  the  south — it  marks  the  city  of  Wukiang. 
Follow  the  Shanghai  canal  glistening  in  the  sunlight  to 
the  east  till  your  eye  rests  on  a  hill — that  is  Quensan. 
At  the  foot  of  that  mountain,  thirty  miles  to  the  north- 
east, is  Changsoh,  a  city  of  100,000  inhabitants.  Look 
northwest  up  the  Grand  Canal,  thirty  miles — ^that  is 
Mount  Wei'tsien.  There  is  Wusih,  with  a  population 
of  150,000,  and  within  a  radius  of  thirty  miles  are  one 
hundred  market-towns  of  from  one  thousand  to  fifty 
thousand  inhabitants,  and  probably  100,000  villages  and 
hamlets — five  million  within  range  of  vision! " 


164  WHAT  IS  SOO? 

Since  the  pagoda  was  built  others  have  followed, 
but  only  six  remain  to-day,  and  the  upper  stories  of 
some  of  these  have  been  removed.  Thus  it  is  said  of 
the  South  Gate  Pagoda,  Zay  Kwaung  Tah,^  that  the 
king  built  it  a  thirteen-story  pagoda  for  a  priest  who 
came  in  242;  it  was  repaired  twice,  then  torn  down  in 
1119,  and  replaced  by  another  of  seven  stories,  which 
has  been  frequently  repaired  but  is  substantially  the 
present  building. 

The  walls  have  needed  frequent  attention.  The 
most  remarkable  episode  is  that  between  581  and  610 
the  people  deserted  the  city  because  of  robbers  and 
rebels.  About  917  there  was  extensive  fortifications, 
the  walls  being  thickened  to  twenty-five  feet  and  made 
about  as  lofty,  while,  in  addition  to  the  usual  moat 
outside,  a  second  moat  was  constructed  just  inside — a 
procedure  natural  only  in  a  city  of  canals.  Soon  after 
1278  the  Mongols  ordered  all  city  walls  to  be  demol- 
ished so  that  there  could  be  no  further  opposition  to 
their  supremacy ;  but  when  they  were  losing  grip,  about 
1352,  the  walls  here  were  rebuilt.  When  the  Manchus 
conquered  the  land,  they  adopted  an  opposite  policy, 
quartering  a  strong  garrison  in  a  fort  alongside  many 
cities,  and  so  in  1662  there  was  a  grand  re-fortification. 
Since  then  the  leading  outward  event  has  been  the  siege 
by  the  T'ai-p'ings,  which  led  to  the  virtual  destruction 
of  the  interior,  and  the  speedy  recovery  after  Gordon 
and  his  Ever  Victorious  Army  regained  it.  Last  of  all 
has  come  the  railway  from  Shanghai,  turning  north 
here  and  pointing  towards  Peking. 

In  a  career  of  more  than  two  millenniums  Soochow 
has  of  course  produced  several  noted  men.  T'ang  Pah- 
hu,  a  famous  artist  under  the  Mings,  lived  on  Peach- 
blossom   Street;  his   pictures   and   manuscripts   fetch 

•This  is  of  course  the  Soochow  dialect. 


-  ^  ^  ^  s  ^  «1  "« 

MOT  EVKN   ONS  CASH   FALLS  ON   KMPTY  ORODKD 

fabulous  prices  to-day.  Ma  Liang  was  born  near  Can- 
ton, but  came  here  to  study;  devoting  himself  to  draw- 
ing, he  practised  assiduously  on  one  idol  at  Quin  Shan, 
to  the  great  admiration  of  all  who  watched.  A  friend 
named  Tsang  Na  put  his  autograph  on  the  pictures, 
and  they  sold  so  well  that  his  fame  is  recorded  in  the 
local  annals.  Evidently  there  is  hope  for  the  pave- 
ment artist  with  one  theme. 

Ts'ao,  from  Wusih,  thirty  li  away,  devoted  himself 
here  to  the  study  of  medicine,  especially  children's  dis- 
eases. He  hung  his  shingle  outside  the  Si  Men,  and 
became  so  clever  that  he  could  foretell  exactly  the 
hour  when  health  would  be  restored.  His  fame  cul- 
minated when  he  was  called  in  to  an  aged  official's  home 
to  "  see  sickness,"  to  prescribe  for  a  grandchild;  he  pre- 
ferred to  begin  with  the  official.  "  I  am  too  old ;  my 
disease  is  incurable."  "  Nay,  if  I  cannot  heal  the 
grandfather  first,  how  can  I  heal  the  grandson?  "  So 
he  had  his  way,  and  in  two  days  had  restored  both 
patients.  Then  was  discovered  the  secret  of  his  prac- 
tice, to  learn  the  family  constitution  from  the  more 
developed  cases. 

Another  Ts'ao  was  born  at  Huchow.  "  He  picked 
up  a  pen,  and  it  seemed  to  write  itself."  With  such 
natural  gifts  he  readily  rose  to  be  a  Hanlin  and  a  very 
high  official,  both  a  great  scholar  and  one  of  the  finest 
artists  known  in  the  Empire.  Ts'ao  Fu-hsing,  a  native 
of  Wu  (the  modern  Kiangsu)  of  the  third  century,  was 
reckoned  the  greatest  painter  of  his  day.  Commissioned 
by  the  King,  Sun  Ch'iian,  to  paint  a  screen,  he  accident- 
ally made  a  blot  on  it,  and  then  turned  the  blot  into  a 
fly  so  skillfully  that  Sun  Ch'iian  tried  to  fillip  it  away. 
He  painted  a  picture  of  a  red  dragon  which  he  had  seen 
playing  on  the  surface  of  a  river,  and  later  on,  during 


166  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

a  time  of  drought,  this  dragon  was  brought  forth  and 
cast  into  the  river,  the  result  being  that  rain  fell  immedi- 
ately in  great  quantities. 

Five  hundred  worthies  are  carved  in  stone  in  the 
gardens  of  the  Ts'ang  Lang  pavilion.  Alongside  these 
historic  heroes  set  a  modern  one,  Liu  Te-Sen,  or  Luxu- 
riant Virtue.  A  man  from  the  anti-foreign  province  of 
Hunan  had  become  magistrate  here,  and  set  his  face 
against  aliens  acquiring  land.  Twice  did  the  Southern 
Presbyterians  attempt  to  buy  ground  for  a  hospital, 
and  after  expending  time  and  money  found  themselves 
balked  by  him.  Then  Liu  Te-Sen  was  employed  to 
negotiate  and  closed  the  "transaction;  but  when  the 
magistrate  discovered  for  whom  he  had  acted,  he 
declined  to  stamp  the  deeds,  and  summoned  Liu  Te- 
Sen,  ostensibly  to  discover  how  much  money  he  had 
pocketed.  Anticipating  trouble,  Liu  found  a  friend  to 
take  care  of  his  family,  and  went  to  court,  advised  simply 
to  tell  the  plain  truth.  He  was  obliged  to  kneel,  and 
a  lictor  stood  beside  him  with  a  bamboo.  But  he  was 
able  to  prove  that  the  very  cheques  paid  over  to  the 
vandor,  drawn  on  a  native  bank,  had  been  signed  by 
Dr.  Davis.  "  You  liarl  Having  a  big  piece  of  meat 
in  your  hand,  surely  you  would  take  a  bite  of  it!  '*  But 
the  facts  were  too  plain,  and  the  outwitted  magistrate 
could  secure  nothing  by  threats  and  orders  to  beat  him. 
After  an  hour  the  sturdy  Christian  was  released;  and 
after  an  appeal  to  the  Foreign  Office  the  magistrate  was 
peremptorily  ordered  to  do  his  duty  and  stamp  the 
deeds. 

PART  II.— SOO:    BY  BOAT 

Soochow  has  to  be  explored  by  sections:  water,  Wrni, 
and  sky.  Water  has  distinctly  the  right  of  way,  and 
we  used  for  the  main  canals  the  "  Annie  Barr,"  a  small 
house-boat  named  after  an  heroic  missionary,  while  an 


Fan  Chung  Yen  (Father). 

One  of  the  Five  Hundred  Great  Men  of  Soochow  History.     (Taken  from 
a  Rubbing.) 


BOCOHT   A    BRICK-BAT  TKSTBAD  or  A   aOOSB 

open  row-boat  took  us  into  the  narrow  water  alleys 
where  only  paddle  and  punt  could  propel. 

At  the  water  gate  toll  is  collected  by  a  bag  at  the 
end  of  a  long  pole,  such  as  cathedrals  use.  There  is  of 
course  some  delay  here,  and  it  gives  opportunity  to 
observe  the  cormorant  fishing-boats.  The  birds  are 
equipped  by  nature  with  a  large  pouch  to  deposit  their 
catch  in,  and  by  art  with  a  ring  round  the  neck  to  pre- 
vent its  slipping — accidentally — any  further.  They 
sit  in  double  rows  round  the  boat  till  the  manager 
pushes  them  into  the  water  with  a  bamboo;  when  one 
finds  a  fish,  he  pecks  out  the  eye  and  pouches  the 
creature ;  if  it  be  too  large,  he  invites  other  cormorants, 
and  they  together  will  lift  out  any  fish  not  exceeding 
eleven  pounds.  If  this  be  too  much  to  swallow,  remem- 
ber it  is  a  fish  story. 

The  chief  canals  are  laid  out  regularly,  parallel 
with  the  great  boundary  moats,  but  of  course  there  are 
blind  alleys  and  back  yards,  all  of  water.  They  are 
designed  for  transportation,  and  in  the  coimtry  they 
serve  for  irrigation  also,  but  incidentally  they  serve  for 
all  manner  of  uses.  Refuse  of  all  kinds  is  tipped  into 
them,  clothes  are  washed,  food  is  cleansed,  fish  are 
bred  in  them,  and  drinking  water  is  obtained  thence. 
To  the  credit  of  the  people  be  it  said  that  this  is  always 
boiled  in  copper  kettles  and  converted  into  tea. 
Naturally  the  canals  provide  meat  as  well  as  drink; 
fish,  crabs,  and  shrimps  may  be  had  readily.  Dr. 
Nathaniel  Gist  Gee  states  also  that  an  ample  supply 
of  vegetable  matter  is  procurable  here;  the  cyano- 
phyceae  algals  are  represented  by  nostoc  and  oxillaria, 
the  latter  being  perennial;  chlorophycese  abound, 
zygnema  being  early  and  hydrodictyon  a  late  summer 
variety,  ulothrix,  cladophora  and  spirogyra  available  at 


168  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

all  times.  In  the  shallows  there  is  a  rich  growth  of  dra- 
panaldia  on  the  rocks,  with  a  wealth  of  desmids. 
On  the  rice-fields  the  englena  often  gives  a  green 
appearance  to  the  water.  For  all  these  beautiful 
forms  the  Chinese  have  no  distinctive  names,  calling 
them  merely  water-grass. 

It  seems  rather  remarkable  that  alongside  these 
canals  there  is  a  separate  and  official  system  of  sewers. 
This  seems  so  obviously  superfluous  that  there  is  an 
officer  charged  to  inspect  them.  His  method  is  delight- 
fully vicarious,  and  consists  in  putting  a  man  down  at 
one  end,  then  going  to  the  other  end  to  await  his  arrival 
and  hear  his  report.  Seldom,  indeed,  can  the  sub- 
marine passage  be  effected  as  rapidly  as  the  inspector 
can  be  carried  in  the  open  air,  but  after  due  delay  a 
dirty  labourer  duly  emerges  from  the  man-hole  and 
narrates  his  adventures  below.  Of  course  it  is  always 
the  same  man  that  was  put  in  at  the  other  end — it 
can  only  be  the  dirt  and  discomfort  of  the  journey  that 
produce  such  changes  in  form  and  figure;  did  not 
Brother  Terrapin  win  the  great  race  by  the  aid  of  a 
numerous  family?  Perhaps  if  the  inspector  gave  the 
man  who  went  down  at  one  end  some  token  to  carry 
or  be  imprinted  on  his  skin,  he  might  wait  a  long  time 
before  that  same  man  emerged  at  the  other  end  with  the 
token.  But  can  we  expect  better  things  of  underground 
sewers  in  Soo  than  of  underground  conduits  in  New 
York? 

Below  these  deeps  there  are  reputed  to  be  lower 
still.  Why  or  wherefore  no  one  knows,  but  the  legend 
goes  that  a  series  of  sub-marine  passages  exists,  no 
longer  to  be  explored  except  by  those  who  present  an 
order  with  the  Vermilion  Pencil.  Both  these  systems 
we  left  to  their  quiet  seclusion,  and  continued  our  inves- 
tigations on  the  surface  of  the  water.  All  that  we  did 
in  the  way  of  delving  was  to  examine  the  borings  for  an 


IHB  CRAZT    MAN    HOPES   TIfR    HEAVKNS    WILL   FALL;   THK  POOR   MAN 
HOPES  FOR  A   RIOT. 

artesian  well  here.  This  has  been  put  down  by  the 
Soochow  University,  maintained  by  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  South  inside  the  eastern  wall;  the 
well  is  333  feet  deep  and  yields  three  gallons  per  foot 
per  hour.  Layers  of  brown  and  blue  clay  alternate 
for  292  feet,  then  come  11  feet  of  fine  gray  sand,  and 
below  that  the  30  feet  of  coarse,  clean  gray  sand,  which 
is  the  stratum  bringing  the  water. 

On  the  bank  of  the  inner  moat,  against  the  city  wall, 
is  to  be  seen  a  curious  lantern-topped  stone  with  seven 
faces,  each  bearing  an  inscription.  It  marks  the  spot 
where  a  man  fell  in  and  was  drowned,  and  is  put  up  to 
warn  others  to  keep  away,  lest  his  spirit  should  drag 
them  in  too.  It  seems  that  the  soul  of  a  drowned  man 
remains  on  guard  till  it  can  secure  another  to  replace  it ; 
then  it  goes  to  its  permanent  abode. 

Bridges  of  course  abound,  and  have  to  be  made  lofty 
enough  for  the  regular  canal  traffic  to  be  unhindered. 
Some  of  the  old  ones  are  most  picturesque  in  their  steep 
rises,  which  yet  do  not  hinder  horses  from  going  over. 
Now  that  new  railway  bridges  are  coming,  they  too 
have  to  conform  to  the  rule  of  allowing  proper  headway 
for  the  barges  below.  But  despite  the  novelties  in 
bridge  architecture,  the  Chinaman  cannot  credit  that 
a  mere  Westerner  can  design  without  help  from  Soo- 
chow; and  an  account  of  Brooklyn  Bridge  evidently 
called  forth  great  admiration  for  the  powers  of  lying 
displayed. 

One  of  the  greatest  bridges  outside  the  city  is 
renowned  as  the  "  Precious  Belt,"  or  "  Fifty-three 
Arch,"  or  "  Bridge  of  the  Golden  Hook."  This  spans 
the  river  Dai-dai  where  it  empties  into  the  Grand  Canal, 
and  carries  the  tow-path  of  the  latter;  it  is  some  three 
miles  south  of  the  southeast  corner  of  the  city.     At  the 


170  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

north  end  is  a  Buddhist  temple,  where  two  monks  sold 
us  tea  for  three  and  a  drum  for  a  shilling.  They  also 
furnished  a  tale  as  to  the  origin  of  the  bridge.  "  Li 
was  a  great  robber  who  dwelt  in  the  hills  beside  the 
Great  Lake ;  as  his  beard  and  whiskers  were  very  long, 
they  fell  into  his  food,  so  he  had  two  golden  hooks  to 
hold  them  up  to  his  ears  at  meal-times.  He  com- 
manded a  thousand  followers,  and  to  those  who  paid 
blackmail  he  issued  an  exemption  ticket  which  secured 
from  robbery  " — quite  the  method  used  at  Western 
bazaars.  "  Nor  would  he  rob  poor  people,  but  even  dis- 
tributed among  them  the  plunder  from  the  rich,  while 
officials  stood  in  awe  of  him.  Now  he  desired  to  gain 
merit  in  heaven,  so  he  decided  to  build  this  bridge ;  and 
under  its   foundations   he   buried   precious   belts   and 

pearls.    At  ninety  years  of  age  he  died Where 

did  he  go?  Well,  I  never  heard  of  his  going  to  heaven, 
nor  did  I  hear  of  his  going  to  hell.  But  his  stomach  was 
big,  full  of  righteousness.  If  his  goods  deeds  outbal- 
ance his  evil,  then  he  will  be  in  heaven." 

A  special  temple  and  a  pagoda  built  by  Li  of  the 
Golden  Hooks  ensure  good  luck  to  the  bridge;  and 
this  may  be  the  reason  why  the  Chinese  surveyors 
wished  to  arrange  the  Foreign  Concession  here  in  1896 
after  the  Japanese  war.  But  the  Japanese  commis- 
sioner dryly  remarked  it  was  capital  for  rice-growing 
and  pheasant-hunting;  so  the  concession  was  placed  on 
the  Grand  Canal,  opposite  the  south  wall,  with  deep 
water  frontage  of  a  mile.  A  good  trade  has  sprung 
up,  and  the  customs  commissioner  reports  eighty-seven 
million  cigarettes  imported  here,  with  nearly  two  million 
gallons  of  oil,  and  a  large  export  of  silk  goods,  for 
which  the  place  is  famous.  The  Post  Office  handles 
5,634,750  letters  a  year. 

Bridges  bridge  the  transition  from  watery  Soo  to 
earthy  Soo.     Pass  we  over. 


^Iain  Building,  Soochow  University. 
Built  by  the  Methodists  of  NeAV  Orleans. 


Photo  by  Prof.  N.  G.  G 


"The  Custom's  Bridge,"  Soochow. 


^m±m.%m  "» 


AM    ANT   ON    A    HOT  BOCK 


The  silken  goods  which  form  the  staple  export  are 
the  glory  of  the  place,  and  the  Imperial  household  gets 
its  chief  supplies  hence.  It  is  strange  to  see  the  primi- 
tive surroundings,  a  little  hut  with  an  earthen  floor  in 
which  they  are  produced,  with  their  exquisite  designs 
and  perfect  workmanship.  In  these  uncleanly  sur- 
roundings a  basin  of  water  stands  for  the  weaver  to 
keep  his  hands  unsoiled.  He  can  make  four  or  five  feet 
daily,  a  yard  wide,  thus  earning  300  or  375  cash  and 
producing  material  worth  nearly  two  shillings  a  foot. 
It  is  the  best-paid  occupation  in  the  city. 

The  Fang  Sheng  Yiian,*  or  Life-saving  Institution, 
is  unique.     It  does  not  deal  with  human  life,  and  it  is 
rather  a  surprise  to  find  some  1500  corpses  stored  here, 
and  rentals  varying  from  600  cash  to  $30,  prices  vary- 
ing with  locality,  fashion,  and  accommodation.     The 
most  expensive  room  had  a  glass  window  and  a  clock; 
in  another  there  were  silken  scrolls  with  remarks  on  the 
family  history  and  character  of  the  dead  and  living;  in 
a  third  there  were  paper  servants  for  the  use  of  the 
departed  and  opium  utensils  to  keep  up  his  earthly 
habits.     These  apartments,  however,  were  accessory. 
There  is  a  turtle  pond  where  people  desirous  of  acquir- 
ing merit  deposit  turtles  in  safety ;  an  old  lady  watched 
me  fee  a  coolie  to  feed  them,  and  congratulated  me  on 
thus  amassing  credit  for  myself.     Another  department 
is  for  pigs,  where  a  patriarchal  boar  with  a  bristly  back 
was  wondering  that  fourteen  years  had  not  qualified 
him  for  conversion  into  pork  and  lard.     Other  depart- 
ments benefit  geese,  ducks,  hens,  and  frogs;  the  frogs 
are  apparently  housed  apart  to  ensure  their  long  life. 
Attached  to  this  strange  zoological  garden  is  the  inevit- 
able tea-room,  and  here  are  scrolls  with  reversible  sen- 
tences,  like   the   reputed   salutation   to   Eve   of   her 

♦"Garden  for  the  Release  of  Living  Creatures," 


172  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

husband,  "  Madam,  I'm  Adam  " ;  or  like  Napoleon's 
lament,  "  Able  was  I  ere  I  saw  Elba." 

The  old  Examination  Hall  still  stood  at  my  visit,  a 
useless  relic  of  the  past.  All  too  rapid  are  the  changes 
now,  and  one  hopes  that  the  filial  spirit  will  not  evapo- 
rate now  that  the  free  Western  air  is  breathing  o'er 
the  land.  A  typical  story  of  the  past  was  given  by 
Mr.  Yang: 

A  Chinese  gentleman  and  his  son  had  a  fight;  dur- 
ing the  scuffle  the  son  accidentally  knocked  out  some  of 
his  father's  front  teeth.  The  father,  though  deeply 
oflPended,  because  of  his  son's  superior  strength  was 
unable  to  punish,  and  so  went  to  law.  This  frightened 
the  son  so  much  that  he  consulted  a  man  named  Tsu, 
asking  him  to  help  him  out.  Tsu  told  him  to  come 
up  the  next  morning  to  a  high  mountain.  Although 
in  the  dead  of  winter,  the  son  was  dressed  in  light- 
weight summer  clothes.  While  he  was  sitting  in  the 
temple  on  top  of  the  hill,  his  friend  Tsu  came  up  and 
demanded  two  thousand  dollars  before  helping  him  out 
of  the  serious  scrape.  He  paid  it;  then  Tsu  took  out 
a  knife  and  cut  off  the  offending  son's  ear.  He 
objected  to  this,  but  Tsu  told  him  nothing  better  could 
have  been  done  for  him ;  in  court  the  son  was  to  say  his 
father  had  bitten  off  his  ear,  and  that  in  the  melee  the 
front  teeth  of  his  father  had  come  out.  The  son  bet- 
tered Tsu's  instructions;  in  the  scrimmage  he  had  not 
knocked  out  his  father's  teeth,  which  would  have  been 
unfilial,  but  when  his  father  bit  off  his  ear  his  head 
rebounded  up  against  him  and  knocked  out  his  front 
teeth.  This  sounded  plausible  to  the  court,  so  that 
they  both  were  dismissed.  The  father  and  son  became 
friends  and  lived  together  happily.  Later  the  father 
asked  his  son  how  it  happened  he  had  thought  up  such 
a  good  defence,  as  he  had  not  bitten  the  ear  off  at  all. 
The  son  told  him  Tsu  had  helped  him.     The  father, 


THK   MUNEY-MAJCSR   IS   NEVJCR   WEAKY  ;  THB   WIARY   MAX  HfVGK 
MAKBS   MONKT 

enraged  at  Tsu,  had  him  up  in  court,  but  Tsu  claimed 
he  had  not  helped  the  son.  "  Yes,  you  did,"  said  the 
son.  "  Where  do  you  say  we  met?  "  asked  Tsu.  *'  On 
the  mountain,  where  you  remember  I  had  on  summer 
clothes."  "  What,  in  winter?  "  intervened  the  magis- 
trate. "  Yes,  in  winter."  But  this  detail  was  the 
death-blow  of  the  case,  and  it  was  dismissed.  A  tale 
like  this  suggests  how  far  we  are  from  following  the 
windings  of  the  average  Chinese  thought,  and  of  appre- 
ciating their  standards. 

Trying  to  understand  something  of  the  home  life 
and  the  national  amusements,  it  was  with  much  pleas- 
ure that  the  opportunity  was  taken  of  helping  celebrate 
a  birthday.  True,  it  was  that  of  Dr.  Wilkinson,  but 
the  programme  was  mainly  native. 

The  Chinese  students,  nurses,  and  friends,  after 
preparations  going  on  for  some  days,  made  a  deal  of 
noise  and  good  cheer.  There  were  minstrels,  an  orches- 
tra of  seven  men  with  a  variety  of  instruments,  the 
Victor  phonograph,  a  present  to  the  popular  physician, 
a  juggler  who  gave  two  exhibitions,  a  fine  feast  of  say 
twenty  courses,  a  mandarin  and  other  Chinese,  mostly 
educated,  one  the  wife  of  a  millionaire. 

The  evening  opened  with  music  by  the  orchestra, 
who  were  also  minstrels.  This  was  odd,  but  at  times 
musical. 

At  one  time  during  the  splendid  feast  both  the 
Victor  phonograph  and  the  native  orchestra  were  en- 
gaged in  playing  at  the  same  time.  What  a  difference ! 
and  how  superior  the  West  over  the  East  in  this  mat- 
ter of  music,  so  it  seemed  to  me!    East  and  West  met. 

The  juggler  played  certain  mystifying  tricks, 
Oriental  sleight  of  hand.  He  placed  a  bottle  in  one 
cylinder  of  card-bpard,  a  glass  in  another,  and  fired  off 


174  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

a  pistol,  when  behold !  they  had  exchanged  places.  He 
then  spoke  of  the  empty-headedness  of  the  Soochow 
people.  A  Soochow  man  was  out  one  night  without  a 
lantern,  so  he  took  a  candle,  lit  it,  took  off  his  scalp, 
and  put  it  in  his  empty  head  I  He  told  a  story  of  men 
arguing  as  to  how  the  Great  Pagoda  at  Soochow  was 
built.  One  man  said  that  it  was  begun  at  the  top  and 
built  from  the  sky  down  to  the  earth ;  another  man  said 
from  the  bottom  up.  Another  said  it  was  built  on 
its  side  and  then  stood  up.  A  fourth  declared  it  had 
never  been  built  here  at  all,  but  came  from  another 
place  whole!  As  a  comment  on  this,  he  suddenly  pro- 
duced a  pagoda  of  say  fifteen  stories,  and  in  height 
about  five  feet. 

What  I  particularly  admired  about  the  feast  was 
that  between  shark's  fins  and  sea  cucumbers  (slugs) 
medicine  was  served — ^the  famous  Chinese  remedy, 
Boho,  the  immortal  Boho.  A  fine  idea, — one  to  be  fol- 
lowed in  the  West,  that  of  providing  in  the  midst  of  a 
banquet  a  medical  course,  real  medicine,  say  Boho. 

Dr.  Wilkinson  works  at  the  Blake  Hospital,  where 
there  is  a  fine  operating-room  in  memory  of  two  nurses 
who  died  after  a  short  practice  of  their  profession  here. 
It  is  an  unfortunate  coincidence  that  the  Moslem  ceme- 
tery lies  hard  by,  with  its  evergreens,  cedars,  and  olive 
trees  embowering  its  little  burial  mosque;  or  shall  we 
say  that  the  contrast  is  significant?  Islam  has  nothing 
to  offer  but  resignation ;  Christianity  has  hope  and  life. 

It  is  high  time  to  pass  from  Soochow  of  the  earth  to 
Soochow  of  the  sky.  In  the  reality  of  the  spirits  there 
is  firm  belief.  They  lurk  in  the  canals  near  the  scenes 
of  death  to  drag  in  substitutes;  they  cross  the  bridges 
carrying  lights;  nothing  scares  them  but  the  presence 
of  a  sinner.  Now  against  all  this  popular  superstition 
Confucius  set  the  weight  of  his  influence,  ignoring  the 
whole  subject.     Try,  then,  the  Confucian  Temple,  and 


Soo's  South  (Water)  Gate. 
The  City  has  five  such  gates,  beautiful  and  interesting. 


TiiK  Great  Pagoda  from  near  the  Execution  Grounds. 


5S  *  SI  "' 


A  OAT   WKBPINQ   OVKR   A   RAT 


see  how  far  his  teaching  and  his  memory  are  revered. 
There  is  a  grandiloquent  ode  by  Vong  Gnow  which 
announces,  with  the  usual  truthfulness  of  epitaphs,  that 
"  His  road  he  spread  abroad  universally;  by  his  teach- 
ings he  brings  heaven  and  earth  into  conjunction.  He 
elected  and  spoke  forth  the  Book  of  Six  Odes.  To 
myriad  generations  he  handed  down  what  he  received 
in  his  palace,  the  righteousness  of  the  Emperor  Voh 
Hse  [the  first  Emperor  after  the  creation].  Him  did 
he  repay  for  the  righteousness  given  him,  by  spreading 
it  abroad  till  many  have  worshipped  him  and  a  hundred 
Emperors  have  paid  him  reverence."  But  the  temple 
seems  devoted  chiefly  to  the  bats,  thousands  of  whom 
harbour  in  the  ceiling,  so  that  their  manure  produces 
a  most  disgusting  odor.  So  deserted  is  it  that  a  famous 
robber  chief  thirty  years  ago  hid  over  the  tablets  and 
remained  in  perfect  safety. 

Contrast  the  present  decadent  state  of  Confucian- 
ism with  the  past.  The  following  eloquent  words,  writ- 
ten twenty  centuries  ago  by  the  famous  historian 
Ssii-ma  Ch'ien,  best  describe  the  position  then  held  by 
the  great  sage  in  the  hearts  of  the  Chinese  people: 

"  Countless  are  the  princes  and  prophets  that 
the  world  has  seen  in  its  time ;  glorious  in  life,  for- 
gotten in  death.  But  Confucius,  though  only  a 
humble  member  of  the  cotton-clothed  masses, 
remains  among  us  after  many  generations.  He  is 
the  model  for  such  as  would  be  wise.  By  all,  from 
the  Son  of  Heaven  down  to  the  meanest  student, 
the  supremacy  of  his  principles  is  fully  and  freely 
admitted.  He  may  indeed  be  pronounced  the 
divinest  of  men.*' 

From  the  temple  to  the  pagodas:  three  of  these 
received   our   attention,  two   Pen   and   one   Ink.    A 


176  SOO:  BY  BOAT 

scholar  built  the  Two  Pen  pagodas  to  attract  the  good 
luck  required  to  ensure  good  scholarship  to  the  town; 
but  as  most  of  the  candidates  kept  on  failing  after- 
wards, he  consulted  the  geomancers,  and  they  showed 
how  absurd  it  was  to  provide  two  pens  but  no  ink. 
The  omission  rectified,  the  candidates  passed.  We 
passed  these  by,  however,  in  favour  of  the  famous  nine- 
story  pagoda,  with  its  inscription  over  the  doorway, 
"  From  within  issues  precious  light."  All  around  are 
idols,  with  blue  nightcaps  to  prevent  insects  from  biting 
them,  and  barred  in  to  prevent  pilgrims  from  carrying 
oiF  chips;  the  numbers  have  thus  been  reduced  from 
nine  hundred,  and  verj'^  few  are  now  left  unprotected. 
A  Buddhist  monk,  telling  his  beads,  received  the  copper 
for  admission. 

Fortunately  the  temple  which  long  stood  in  front 
of  the  pagoda  was  destroyed  by  the  T*ai-p'ings  and 
never  restored ;  thus  an  open  space  is  left  for  observing 
the  fine  lines  of  the  majestic  structure.  A  queer  old 
priest,  who  made  the  ladies  "  feel  crawly,"  held  two 
candles  to  light  us  up  the  first  flight  of  wooden  stairs, 
which  otherwise  would  have  been  groped  in  the 
darkness.  Up  we  passed  from  story  to  story  until 
the  ninth,  from  which  elevation  the  city  and  sur- 
roundings appeared  below  and  beyond  in  delightful 
panorama. 

Toward  the  south  lay  the  great  city  with  its  green 
trees,  its  green  earth  mounds  higher  than  the  roofs  of 
the  houses,  the  City  Temple  on  Kwon  Dzien,  in  the 
grounds  of  which  are  hawkers  crying  their  wares,  Punch 
and  Judy  shows,  caged  birds  singing,  crowds  of  popu- 
lace— the  Vanity  Fair  of  Soo;  the  Soochow  Univer- 
sity, between  the  Ink  and  Twin  Pagodas;  the  Foreign 
Concession,  with  its  smoke-stacks  attached  to  the 
Silk  Filatures  Factory,  foreign  method;  and  a  great 
lake. 


s  „ 


o  ^ 


^  3 


I 


A  MONKET   WITH  A   HAT  OK' 

Toward  the  west  is  the  wonderful  Lion  Mountain, 
the  Mountain  belonging  to  the  family  of  Van,  their 
burial  mountain.  Up  to  the  time  when  Van  was  buried 
there  the  rocks  lay  about  as  all  others  do,  but  when  the 
coffin  of  Van  came  the  rocks  all  stood  up  in  all  sorts  of 
unnatural  positions,  and  they  have  been  standing  there 
ever  since.  A  beautiful  paved  road  was  once  upon  a 
time  constructed  to  this  mountain,  for  the  convenience 
of  a  visiting  king  who  was  on  a  pleasure  journey  and 
desired  to  view  the  wonders  of  nature  from  that  advan- 
tageous point.  Included  in  this  view  are  the  North- 
west Gate,  the  busiest  gate  of  busy  Soo,  through  which 
the  trade  of  a  fertile  and  active  region  flows,  and  the 
Northern  Presbyterian  Hospital. 

Toward  the  north,  within  the  wall,  is  the  execution 
ground;  outside  the  wall,  the  railway  station,  the  plant 
of  the  Southern  Presbyterians,  then  farms  and  villages, 
each  hamlet  with  its  clump  of  sacred  trees.  When  from 
this  altitude  the  perspective  takes  in  a  long  line  of 
these  small  villages,  the  landscape  has  the  aspect  of  a 
scattered  forest;  in  reality,  the  hamlets,  frequent  and 
containing  each  a  miniature  forest  thrown  together  for 
the  eye's  pleasure,  please  one  with  the  sense  of  plenty 
of  trees  at  last  in  China.  The  Leaning  Pagoda  stands 
on  the  Hu  Cheu  Shan  toward  the  northwest.  In  the 
distance  the  mountains  of  Dzan  Zhoh  lie  low  on  the 
horizon. 

Toward  the  east,  apart  from  the  continuous  stretch 
of  houses  out  to  the  Leu  Men,  the  gate  Gordon  came  in, 
there  is  little  of  importance  except  the  lake  some  thirty 
li  east  of  Soo.  The  scenery  was  invariably  beautiful, 
whether  we  looked  toward  the  sim  this  afternoon  or 
away  from  it,  whether  down  toward  the  grounds  of  the 
n 


178  A  SOO  NOVEL 

pagoda  or  toward  the  distant  scenes,  all  beautiful,  and 
we  were  reminded  that  Soo  may  mean  fragrant, 
whether  to  the  nose  or  to  the  eyes !     Beautiful  Soo !  * 

PART  III.— A  soo  NOVEL 

For  a  good  literary  insight  into  English  life 
the  high-grade  novel  is  to  be  commended.  The  actual 
story  is  not  important,  but  the  atmosphere,  the  manner 
of  talk,  the  ideas  of  conduct,  the  way  in  which  people 
behave,  these  are  generally  true  to  life.  So  a  Chinese 
novel  may  throw  a  very  natural  light  on  conditions. 
The  plot  may  teem  with  improbabilities,  but  the  dia- 
logue dealing  with  Chinese  scenes  is  likely  to  be  faith- 
ful enough.  Quite  lately  there  has  been  published  a 
novel  with  a  purpose,  to  expose  the  evils  of  opium- 
smoking.  My  friend  R.  A.  Haden,  Esq.,  M.A.,  pro- 
cured it  for  me  and  made  the  following  tasty  transla- 
tion. It  is  one  of  a  series  being  issued  as  "  Books 
for  the  Awakening  of  the  Age."  The  series  is  avowedly 
produced  in  order  to  promulgate  reform  ideas,  written 
in  a  good,  easy  style,  which  can  be  read  all  over  the 
Empire.  Here  is  an  outline  of  the  plot,  which  may 
amuse,  but  will  serve  to  introduce  the  powerful  opening 
chapter: 

The  Heart-breaking  Weed 

The  plot  opens  in  an  opium  shop  in  Soo  where  half 
the  smokers  and  idlers  of  the  city  resort  to  exchange 
news  and  get  a  pipe.  The  prodigal  hero  (?)  of  the 
story  is  introduced  here  by  a  relative,  older  than  him- 
self but  steeped  in  opium  and  vice.  This  man  is  the 
evil  genius  of  the  young  prodigal,  leading  him  deeper 
and  deeper  into  the  ways  of  wickedness. 

•A  short  fonn  of  the  numerals,  commonly  used  for  accounts,  are 
known  to  the  Chinese  as  "  Soochow  characters,"  or  "  business  characters." 
Unlike  the  ordinary  numerals,  they  are  written  horizontally  from  left 
to  right.     They  are  said  to  be  of  Bactrian  or  Phoenician  origin. 


South  Horse  Road  Bridge,  over  the  T'si  Men  Canai,,  Soochow. 


^^>t^  V-pr — \ — 

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r^^H  ■■■ 

^^■t'   — — ^^^^^^^^^^H 

lb 

Soochow  Examination   Halls  adjoining  the  Twin  Pen  Pagodas. 


mm-^ik^  1™ 


TO  SKT   FREE   A   SALTED   TISH 


In  London  there  is  a  Sooehow  family  with  a  daugh- 
ter; this  family  are  very  much  attached  to  an  English 
family  having  a  daughter  who  is  much  attached  to  the 
Soo  people.  The  man  has  made  his  fortune,  and  when 
preparing  to  return  to  China,  by  mutual  consent  the 
families  exchange  daughters.  This  English  girl  is 
introduced  to  Chinese  life  at  Sooehow,  and  before  she 
understands  what  is  proposed  is  engaged  to  the  above 
opium-smoking  prodigal.  She  is  persuaded  to  allow 
her  feet  to  be  bound.  Being  of  a  naturally  dark  com- 
plexion she  easily  passes  as  a  full-blooded  Chinese. 

The  young  man  to  whom  she  is  engaged  reaches  the 
lowest  depths  of  a  sot,  and  is  taken  with  a  very  serious 
sickness.  The  most  famous  physician  in  the  city  pro- 
nounces the  disease  almost  incurable.  The  only  possi- 
ble hope  would  be  for  him  to  be  nourished  by  a  young 
and  beautiful  woman.  Therefore  his  marriage  is 
hastened.  But  the  supposed  willing  Chinese  daughter 
gets  an  inkling  of  what  is  afoot,  and,  being  really  in 
love  with  a  young  man  of  standing  and  merit,  she  writes 
a  letter  to  her  Chinese  friend  in  London,  calling  her 
home.  This  young  lady  has  been  given  a  thorough 
education,  and  having  studied  medicine  is  equal  to  the 
situation.  She  makes  preparations  to  return  home,  but 
says  nothing  about  her  movements.  In  the  meantime 
great  preparations  are  in  progress  for  the  marriage. 

The  final  arrangements  are  made  and  the  feasting  is 
on;  the  morrow  is  the  day  for  the  wedding.  The  Eng- 
lish girl  writes  a  letter  to  her  real  friend  and  lover, 
tells  him  the  whole  story  of  who  she  is,  and  states  that 
she  is  going  to  take  poison  as  soon  as  the  letter  is  sent 
to  him.  He  thereupon  also  takes  opium.  In  the  midst 
of  the  confusion,  before  the  foreign  doctor  can  arrive 
from  the  Sooehow  Hospital,  Dr.  Park  being  away  from 


180  A  SOO  NOVEL 

the  city,  and  while  they  are  discussing  the  advisability 
of  sending  for  Dr.  Wilkinson,  who  should  walk  in  but 
some  foreign  guests  from  Shanghai — none  other  than 
the  young  and  beautiful  lady  doctor  from  London! 
Knowing  what  she  does  already,  she  immediately  under- 
stands the  situation,  and  takes  measures  to  save  the 
opium  suicides.     In  this  she  is  successful. 

She  takes  the  place  her  English  friend  has  been 
occupying,  and  is  married  to  the  apparently  dying 
opium  sot.  So  skillful  is  she  that  in  a  month  she  has 
her  husband  up  and  well.  The  English  girl  is  married 
to  her  lover. 

Very  much  of  the  book,  as  in  the  case  with  all  this 
class  of  literature,  reveals  such  depths  of  degradation, 
ignorance,  and  prejudice  that  one  turns  away  with 
loathing  from  the  disgusting  pictures.  However,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  the  book  gives  a  real  picture  of 
what  is  the  condition  of  Soochow  life  at  present.  Also 
it  is  known  that  there  have  been  foreign  women  deceived 
into  marriages  with  Chinese  abroad,  and  that  they  have 
been  brought  back  to  China.  There  is  therefore  some 
basis  for  that  phase  of  the  story,  however  startling  it 
may  be  at  first.  But  the  book  is  not  to  be  read  for  its 
plot;  it  is  the  tone  of  the  writer  toward  the  evils  of 
opium  that  is  important.  It  reveals  a  new  spirit  in  the 
land,  a  spirit  that  is  vocal,  and  that  accounts  for  the 
ease  of  the  suppression  of  the  internal  traffic,  or  at 
least  of  the  consumption  of  the  drug. 

The  preface  is  such  a  delightful  revelation  of  what 
a  Soo  man  thinks  a  Soo  man  is,  that  it  may  be  given 
almost  entire,  with  merely  a  sentence  or  two  omitted: 

"  It  has  been  said  that  the  province  of  Kiangsu  is 
both  prosperous  and  beautiful,  and  is  reckoned  the 
Crown  of  the  Southeast.  Every  one  speaks  of  the  place 
as  containing  brilliant  mountains  and  clear  streams^  and 


A  WICK   IS   NOT  A  SDBSTITUTK   FOR   A   WALKING   STICK 

it  is  a  place  where  people  collect  in  great  numbers. 
What,  then,  are  the  most  wonderful  products  of  this 
wonderful  district?  There  are  three:  Men  who  take 
the  First  Place  at  the  Palace  Examinations;  Actors; 
and  Beautiful  women.  These  three  classes  are  pro- 
duced most  in  K*su.  No  other  province  equals  K*su  in 
this  respect.  There  is  even  an  ancient  saying  to  that 
effect.  When  the  writer  first  heard  this  statement  he 
did  not  believe  it,  but  on  examination  found  that  there 
was  abundant  evidence  proving  the  statement.  The 
honourable  reader  should  know  that  from  the  beginning 
of  the  present  dynasty  to  this  time  Soochow  has  pro- 
duced many  men  who  were  first  in  the  examinations. 
A  full  exposition  of  this  is  laid  out  in  the  book,  '  The 
Flowery  Sea  of  Sin '  [apparently  an  advertisement  of 
another  book  in  the  series] . 

"  The  most  famous  tunes  known  as  "  Kunchong  " 
are  produced  at  Soochow.  Practically  all  the  actors  of 
the  Empire  are  Soochow  men.  Further,  the  teachers 
of  singing,  together  with  the  instructors  of  actors,  are 
Soochow  men.  The  whole  class  of  expectant  actors, 
together  with  the  amateur  actors  and  singers,  are  all 
from  here.  Is  this  not  proof  that  this  product  comes 
form  Soochow? 

"  Now  as  to  the  Beautiful  Women.  It  is  not  neces- 
sary to  go  further  than  the  small  place  Shanghai.  Send 
there  one  to  go  through  the  whole  number  of  wealthy 
families  of  that  place,  and  the  conditions  as  to 
these  women  can  be  easily  learned.  But  you  answer: 
*  I  am  neither  a  Nun  nor  one  of  the  Six  Old  Wives.** 
How  then  shall  I  gain  entrance  to  these  big  families? 

"  Literally,  "  I  am  not  one  of  the  Three  Aunts  (San  Ku)  nor  one  of 
the  Six  Old  Wives  (Liu  P'o)."  In  the  "Cho  Keng  Lu,"  a  volume  of 
notes  and  essays  by  T'ao  Tsung-i  of  the  Yiian  dynasty,  we  find  a  paragraph 
on  the  Three  Aunts  and  the  Six  Old  Wives:  "If  one  of  these  persons 
enters  a  house,  it  seldom  happens  that  she  does  not  introduce  theft  and 
adultery.  Whenever  possible,  avoid  them  as  carefully  as  you  would 
a  snake  or  scorpion.    The  San  Ku  are:     (1)     Ni  Ku,  the  Buddhist  Nun; 


18«  tA.  SOO  NOVEL 

And  if  one  did  find  entrance,  these  women  are  busy  from 
morning  to  night  doing  nothing  else  but  attending  the 
theatre,  or  burning  incense  before  the  gods.'  Yet  if 
you  enquire,  the  facts  are  easily  learned. 

"  As  to  the  First  Men  at  the  Palace  Examinations. 
Take  one  generation  and  compare.  Of  the  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty  divisions  of  commerce  and  trade,  where 
is  the  one  that  does  not  have  its  First  Man?  Even 
among  the  lower  classes  there  are  those  who  are  reckoned 
First  Man  of  the  class.  The  literary  style  of  Soochow 
is  the  best,  and  her  essayists  of  fame  are  beyond  number. 
For  this  reason  the  First  Place  is  continually  carried  off 
by  Soochow.    But  this  is  not  to  be  reckoned  strange. 

"  Why,  however,  should  these  two  classes  come  from 
Soochow?  There  is  a  reason  for  it,  which  I  will  now 
give.  It  is  because  the  words  in  their  mouths  are  lies. 
There  are  none  who  will  not  flatter  for  their  own  ends. 
With  tongues  lolling  in  salty  mouths  their  lips  glibly 
bring  forth  right  and  wrong;  making  use  of  ready-made 
phrases  they  appear  all  the  more  convincing.  Becom- 
ing pleased  with  their  own  efforts,  they  will  chew 
maggots  in  order  to  cause  others  to  feel  that  they  greatly 
surpass  ordinary  men,  even  to  the  bounds  of  the  won- 
derful. But  in  reality,  with  teeth  strong  and  molars 
set,  they  only  cause  others  to  laugh  at  their  antics. 

"  Look  at  the  clothes  on  their  backs.  They  speak 
only  of  what  is  good  to  look  at,  having  fetching  touches. 
If  one  should  be  dressed  in  a  manner  that  does  not  shine, 
this  is  sure  to  cause  them  to  look  lightly  on  him.  For 
this  reason  those  of  moderate  means  must  likewise  be 
clothed  in  fashion,  wearing  the  latest  pattern.  Not 
only  do  great  families  think  much  of  clothes  and  long 
gowns,  but  even  their  dogs  make  no  mistakes  as  to 

(2)  Too  Ku,  the  Tax>ist  Nun;  (3)  Kua  Ku,  the  female  soothsayer.  The 
JAu  P'o  are:  (1)  Ya  p'o,  the  female  broker;  (2)  Mei  p'o,  the  marriage 
go-between;  (3)  Shih  p'o,  the  sorceress;  (4)  Ch'ien  p'o,  the  praying- 
woman;  (5)  Too  p'o,  the  herb-seller,  (6)  Wen  p'o,  the  midwife."  TTie 
phrase  san  ku  Jm  p'o  is  the  Chinese  equivalent  of  "  women  of  bad  char- 
acter." 


W  'li>  ±  *ft  iS9  ^  18S 

TOU  can't   PLAV   a    fiddle   behind    tour   BACfK 

whom  to  bark  at.  For  when  they  see  one  in  short  and 
blue  clothes,  they  expose  their  teeth  in  a  snarl;  jumping 
about  they  wag  a  fierce  tail,  and  that  without  cessation, 
showing  that  they  too  have  got  the  knack  of  slighting 
the  poor  and  currying  favour  with  the  rich.  Hence  it  is 
that  men  and  women  in  the  city  primp,  prink,  and 
powder.  Whatever  the  time  demands,  that  must  they 
do.  If  they  are  not  able  to  afford  these  things,  they 
spend  a  few  cash  and  rent  them.  If  they  cannot  rent, 
then  they  with  an  ever-ready  mouth  borrow. 

"  Their  one  heart's  idea  is  that  whatever  happens 
they  must  attain  their  desires.  Apparently  yielding, 
they  are  not.  Before  the  fierce  every  one  will  be  a 
polished  gentleman.  Being  reviled,  he  opens  not  the 
mouth.  Being  struck,  he  says,  *  I  strike  not  back.'  If 
there  is  a  method  of  passing  a  point,  they  use  that 
method,  whatever  it  may  be.  They  have  a  saying, 
'  Don't  move  the  heavens  to  obtain  the  possessions 
under  heaven.  Pass  the  day  in  peace.*  All  can  show 
a  certain  amount  of  intelligence,  but  all  are  avaricious 
to  get  a  thing  a  little  lower  than  it  should  be,  and  at  the 
same  time  attain  an  apparent  pleasure. 

"  There  has  never  been  a  Soochow  man  with  deep 
plans,  including  possibilities  and  looking  to  conse- 
quences, that  urged  him  on  to  accomplish  some  great 
or  worthy  deed.  There  have  been  no  men  of  noted 
bravery,  or  great  strength,  or  broad  sympathy.  Of 
course,  then,  the  men  being  fops  seeking  to  ape  the 
great  man,  they  only  become  fit  material  for  show,  and 
thus  become  actors  such  as  Yu  and  Mang  [famous 
spendthrifts  of  ancient  Soo].  The  women  are  com- 
pliant, and  thus  collect  to  themselves  consideration. 
With  all  diligence  they  show  an  enticing  mien  and 
become  worthy  to  be  secondary  wives." 

The  reader  who  has  followed  thus  far  will  under- 
stand how  it  is  that  Soo  produces  such  articles. 


184  A  SOO  NOVEL 

"  There  is,  however,  another  matter,  and  in  this  the 
Soo  people  are  very  greatly  at  fault.  What  would  you 
suppose?  It  is  a  kind  of  heaven-born  inclination  to 
laziness.  For,  not  willing  to  stand  alone,  they  think 
only  of  relying  on  some  one  else.  If  he  was  born  under 
the  roof  of  a  rich  family,  then  he  looks  to  the  super- 
fluous shadow  of  his  ancestors  and  enjoys  the  property 
left  by  father  and  mother.  With  superfluous  clothes 
and  enticing  food  he  simply  draws  in  his  neck  and 
attends  to  nothing  at  all.  He  enjoys  the  present  peace 
with  wealth  and  honour,  without  thinking  of  using  the 
father's  position  to  surpass  the  elevation  of  his  ances- 
tors. If  he  is  born  under  a  poor  roof,  he  hurries  toward 
the  light  of,  and  attaches  himself  to,  the  powerful — 
becoming  simply  a  parasite.  Going  about  he  whines 
for  pity;  stretching  out  a  long  neck,  with  eyes  staring, 
he  looks  in  every  direction  for  some  one  to  give  him  a 
rise.  If  by  chance  he  has  no  reliable  kith  or  workable 
kinf oik  whereby  he  may  gain  an  easy  support,  providing 
clothes  to  go  abroad  and  food  to  fill  up  with,  why,  then, 
his  wife  and  children  are  exposed  to  cold  and  hunger. 
Hating  heaven  and  bearing  a  grudge  against  earth,  he 
goes  staggering  in  useless  poverty  until  he  is  brought 
to  deeds  of  shame,  and  he  stops  at  nothing.  Stealing 
and  pilfering,  he  searches  heaven  and  earth  if  by  any 
means  he  may  turn  over  and  obtain  a  few  filthy  cash  and 
make  himself  appear  with  the  face  of  the  rich.  The 
Soo  man  guards  a  cash  as  his  life.  Whether  there  be 
a  demand  for  relief  in  a  famine  or  to  accomplish  a 
public  benefit,  in  the  face  of  such  conditions  he  folds 
his  hands  and  looks  on  unconcernedly.  To  give  away 
a  cash  is  more  painful  than  cutting  off"  a  piece  of  flesh. 
Moreover,  this  class  of  people  in  their  regard  for  influ- 
ence and  profit  have  only  cash  in  mouth  and  heart.  If 
one  should  point  to  a  certain  family  zealous  in  carrying 
out  works  of  public  benefit,  they  purse  up  the  mouth  in 
a  disdainful  smile  and  say,  *  The  door  of  charity  is 
opened  with  difficulty .' 


TO  LKAD  A  OOW  INTO  A   WELL 

"  Then,  too,  he  who  is  anxious  only  about  himself 
is  unable  to  comprehend  the  importance  of  the  multi- 
tudinous aiFairs  touching  the  lives  of  the  people.  If 
the  advocate  says  there  has  come  a  telegram  calling  for 
a  convention  for  the  discussion  of  public  affairs,  he 
turns  up  his  nose  in  the  imitation  of  a  smile  and  makes 
answer,  '  Oh,  that  belongs  to  the  important  affairs  of 
the  Imperial  government,  and  it  is  not  anything  that 
we  small  people  should  meddle  with.'  Tell  him  a  cer- 
tain man  is  intelligent  and  learned,  then  his  eyebrows 
are  elevated  in  a  smile  all  over  his  face,  and  he  com- 
placently comments,  *  Essays  and  teaching  do  not 
answer  in  times  of  hunger  the  demands  for  rice;  cere- 
mony and  economy  in  public  business  do  not  cloth  the 
person  in  cold  weather;  for  he  who  is  without  wealth  or 
resources  will  certainly  go  hungry  and  cold.'  If  there 
should  come  forward  a  worthy  affair,  they  are  afraid 
it  is  the  officials  trying  to  squeeze  them  and  therefore 
they  will  do  nothing.  But  when  the  officials  do  come 
down  on  them  with  their  authority,  then  they  are  ready 
to  rush  in.  Under  the  impulse  of  fear,  they  wrap  their 
cash  and  silver  in  bundles,  and  with  both  hands  pass  it 
up  to  the  great  man  above.  For  whenever  the  official 
orders  a  thing  done,  then  they  rush  forward  and  to  the 
extent  of  their  ability  they  perform  what  has  been 
commanded. 

"  But  of  all  things  that  a  Soochow  man  fears  most, 
there  is  nothing  that  he  fears  quite  as  much  as  that  he 
will  not  be  allowed  to  smoke  his  opium.  For  he  has  a 
strong  and  immovable  determination  that  he  will  have 
his  opium.  The  wealthy  say:  *  Let  the  young  sons  eat 
opium,  and  thus  avoid  the  bad  houses  and  gambling 
dens.'  Thus  they  have  devised  a  most  efficacious  method 
of  protecting  the  family  property.  In  order  to  carry 
out  this  plan,  they  furnish  money  to  some  friend  or 
acquaintance  with  which  to  go  and  entice  their  own 


186  A  SOO  NOVEL 

ungovernable  sons  to  smoke  opium,  until  the  habit  is 
fastened  on  them.  Besides  furnishing  this  money  they 
thank  the  enticer  with  more  money.  They  say  he  who 
is  addicted  to  the  use  of  opium  loses  all  inclination  to 
wild  ways.  Thus  the  reckless  ways  of  a  debauchee  are 
avoided;  but  the  habitue  becomes  indolent  and  useless. 
Day  is  turned  into  night  and  night  into  day,  and  interest 
in  everything  is  lost.  Of  course,  then,  they  will  not  go 
to  the  trouble  to  frequent  gambling  dens. 

"  Thus  their  families,  men  and  women,  old  and 
young,  are  as  purple-faced  and  thin-featured  as  cranes. 
They  are  all  the  time  on  the  opium  couch,  sucking  the 
cross  flute,*  giving  forth  sounds  not  according  to  the 
laws  of  music.  Not  only  do  men-servants  and  slave 
girls  steal  their  opium,  but  even  the  cats  and  rats  in 
their  houses  have  the  appetite.  So  that  whenever  they 
are  reminded  that  opium  has  been  forbidden,  is  that 
not  the  same  thing  as  saying  that  their  life  is  in  danger? 
Furthermore,  their  life  is  so  important  that  they  must 
go  to  any  extravagance  in  order  to  pamper  their  appe- 
tite! Not  satisfied  with  opium  they  must  add  to  the 
concoction,  while  preparing  it  for  smoking,  some  deer's 
horn.  This  addition  is  for  tonic  purposes.  If  one 
should  plead  with  them  to  break  the  habit,  they  are 
afraid  lest  some  disease  should  be  induced  and  they  lose 
their  life,  therefore  they  are  determined  at  any  cost  to 
hold  on  to  the  habit.  They  have  an  expression  of  the 
heart  which  says,  *  Break  off  opium,  and  if  it  is  not 
the  mistress  of  the  house,  there  will  be  crying  to  heaven.* 
From  this  it  may  be  seen  that  there  is  no  more  difficult 
question  than  breaking  oif  opium. 

"  It  is  remembered  that  an  Imperial  edict  was  lately 
issued,  forbidding  the  use  of  opium  and  fixing  a  time  for 

•  This  must  be  the  instrument  whose  name  in  Chinese  means  "  cross- 
wise blow" — referring,  I  suppose,  to  the  twisting  of  the  performer's  neck. 
Compare  Shakespeare,  "the  vile  squeaking  of  the  wry-neck'd  fife."  The 
epithet  "  wry-necked "  has  been  a  great  puzzle  to  commentators,  who 
have  failed  to  see  that  it  is  a  transferred  epithet,  really  referring  to 
the  person  who  plays  the  fife. 


ON    THB   BA8TBBN    MOUNTAIN   TIOBRS   BAT   HEN  ;  ON   THB   WISTHRIf 
MOONTAIN  TIOBRS  BAT  MBN  TOO 

its  complete  cessation.  At  that  time  in  Soochow  alone 
there  were  more  than  3700  dens,  big  and  little.  All 
these  were  ordered  to  close  at  once.  This  so  frightened 
the  smokers  that  their  souls  flew  away  and  their  spirits 
departed  from  their  place.  After  a  great  consultation 
there  were  empty  reports  spread  abroad,  such  as  that  if 
the  many  attendants  at  the  opium  dens  lost  their  work 
there  would  be  a  riot  and  bloodshed.  This  was  with 
the  idea  of  frightening  the  officials  into  easy  methods  of 
suppressing  the  opium  and  so  slackly  carrying  out  the 
Imperial  commands — and  in  the  meantime  they  would 
find  some  easy  means  of  subverting  the  same,  whereby 
they  would  be  enabled  for  a  few  more  days  to  go  on 
with  their  smoking.  For  a  day  more  of  smoking  would 
be  a  day  more  of  enjoyment.  But  the  officials  were 
not  at  all  moved — for  the  thunder  rolled  and  the  wind 
still  blew.  The  doors  of  the  recalcitrant  dens  were 
closed  and  those  falling  under  the  mandate  were  pun- 
ished, so  that  the  dens  were  closed  both  in  and  out  of 
the  city,  even  in  by-ways  and  alleys;  the  whole  was 
swept  clean.  Then  followed  some  more  idle  reports, 
saying  that  the  selling  of  opium  by  licensed  shops  was 
not  to  be  allowed,  and  the  habitues  were  sorrowful  unto 
death. 

"  About  this  time  some,  thinking  to  take  time  by  the 
forelock,  bought  several  chests  of  opium  and  had  them 
prepared  and  buried  in  the  ground.  But  the  most 
laughable  case  took  place  in  a  family  by  the  name  of 
Pan.  The  craving  in  this  family  was  very  great.  Not 
only  did  they  prepare  opium  and  bury  it,  but  besides 
they  had  a  pot  prepared,  and  took  a  cotton  wadded 
robe  and  steeped  it  in  the  opium  for  three  days  until 
several  pounds  of  the  opium  had  soaked  into  the  cotton. 
It  was  then  hung  up  to  dry  slowly.  Afterwards  the 
man  began  to  wear  the  garment.  Everybody  was  very 
anxious  to  know  his  meaning,  but  could  not  fathom  this 


188  A  SOO  NOVEL 

deep  secret,  over  which  Pan  was  smiling  and  unwilling 
to  give  it  away.  But  his  son  began  to  talk,  and  said  it 
had  thus  been  prepared  lest  when  the  final  edict  of  pro- 
hibition should  be  put  into  effect,  and  during  the  dis- 
turbance arising  therefrom,  it  should  not  be  possible 
to  get  opium ;  would  not  the  craving  become  unbearable 
and  his  father  die?  Therefore  he  had  soaked  his  robe 
in  opium  so  that  when  the  time  came  that  no  more 
opium  could  be  secured,  he  would  take  the  garment  and 
chew  a  piece  of  it  for  a  while  and  the  craving  would  be 
satisfied.  Why,  then,  should  he  give  away  this  most 
excellent  plan?  I  hope  you  who  hear  this  will  not  kill 
yourselves  laughing. 

"  But  after  all  is  said,  the  Soochow  man  is  born  with 
a  natural  weakness.  He  is  seldom  ashamed.  Not 
only  is  this  not  enough,  but  he  must  add  to  this  the 
poison  of  opium,  and  he  enters  deeply  into  its  very 
essence.  How  then  shall  he  be  blamed  with  the  laugh- 
able things  he  does?  For  the  government  has  issued 
strict  injunctions  against  smoking  opium.  To  comply 
with  the  instructions  is  to  bring  immediate  calamity  on 
one's  self.  What  then  will  be  the  condition  of  the 
opium  fiends  and  what  will  be  the  world  to  them?  If 
you,  reader,  do  not  believe  this,  just  take  a  cursory  look 
at  these  fiends.  At  this  very  time  when  opium  is  being 
suppressed,  their  mouths  are  full  of  such  expressions 
as  this:  *  Suppress  opium?  The  government  taxes 
will  be  less  by  the  amount  collected  on  several  million 
of  lamps,  and  that  would  not  be  a  good  riding-whip  to 
handle.'  In  their  hearts  they  really  hope  outside  king- 
dom men  will  not  agree  to  the  prohibition  and  will  insist 
on  importing  the  smoke  stuff  that  they  may  control 
this  great  sluice-gate  of  traffic.  So  that  when  they  hear 
that  in  the  open  ports  opium-smoking  is  going  merrily 
on,  there  is  not  one  of  them  that  is  not  secretly  glad, 
hoping  as  the  senile  old  Blossoming  Talent  hopes  for 
another  examination,  that  he  may  try  again  for  his 
second  degree. 


%}rib^mR»Q  189 


BVBN   A   TILB    WILL   IDEN   SOME   DAY 


"  When  he  thus  expresses  himself,  is  it  not  deceptive 
beyond  compare,  and  is  it  not  evidence  beyond  question? 
But,  dear  reader,  do  not  listen  to  their  talk  about  opium 
and  be  deceived  by  them.  For  that  stuff  is  the  Heart- 
breaking Weed.  When  the  poor  eat  it,  they  waste  their 
time  and  lose  their  trade.  If  persons  of  means  smoke, 
it  is  said  they  can  thus  protect  their  property  and  pre- 
vent their  sons  from  the  wild  ways  of  youth,  this  being 
an  efficacious  preventive.  They  do  not  know  that  when 
opium  is  first  eaten  it  is  a  powerful  excitant  to  lewd 
ways.  More  than  half  the  habitues,  without  sickness  or 
pain,  use  the  excitant  of  opium  to  become  truly 
degraded.  When  they  have  indulged  for  some  consider- 
able time,  they  realise  that  there  is  no  advantage  in  it. 
Any  one  with  a  small  amount  of  perception  may  see  in 
Soochow  a  class  of  opium-besotted  prodigals  who  spend 
their  time  in  nothing  else  but  planning  ways  and  means 
for  leading  astray  silly  women.  Having  become  sots 
they  can  do  nothing  of  worth.  They  think  only  of  their 
food  and  how  they  may  satisfy  that  fearful  craving  that 
must  be  satisfied.  They  can  but  devise  some  means  for 
meeting  this  demand.  There  are  two  most  used.  He 
who  has  some  natural  good  appearance  endeavors  to 
marry  some  rich  woman;  then  eating  her,  and  using 
her,  and  relying  on  her,  he  passes  over  a  few  more  days 
of  pleasure.  The  other  is  with  facile  tongue  and  entic- 
ing words  and  heart  schemes  deceitful;  he  only  thinks 
of  finding  a  rich  friend,  whom  he  deceives  into  gambling 
and  leads  into  lewdness.  With  flattering  sycophancy, 
stooping  to  any  device  in  order  that  he  may  pass  the 
days  he  sticks  to  his  prey  like  a  leach. 

"  Thus  it  is  evident  that  opium-smoking  leads  to 
gambling  and  lewdness  and  every  evil — nothing  is 
beyond  its  depths  of  degradation.  Of  old  it  was  said, 
*  Idleness  leads  to  thoughts  of  lewdness.'  Daily  lolling 
about,  smoking  opium  to  the  exclusion  of  everything 
else,  how  shall  such  Idleness  lead  to  anything  else  but 


190  A  SOO  NOVEL 

such  thoughts?  Therefore  biting  hard  on  my  teeth- 
roots  I  can  but  say,  this  is  an  injurious  poison,  ruining 
the  kingdom  and  breaking  up  families.  This  is  not 
because  I  have  any  enemies  among  this  class  of  people. 
I  have  another  reason  which  I  will  give.  About  ten 
years  ago,  when  opium  was  in  a  most  flourishing  condi- 
tion, there  were  two  silly  women  in  Soo  done  to  death 
by  opium  sots.  The  whole  circumstance  was  pitiable, 
productive  of  sighs  and  tears,  and  should  be  sung 
abroad  in  lays  and  stanzas.  Therefore  I  have  put  my 
hand  to  the  work  of  making  a  book,  called  *  THE 
HEART  BREAKING  WEED.'  Whoever  reads 
this  book  may  know  that  the  affections  and  customs  of 
the  Soo  people  are  truly  bad.  And  although  I  shall  be 
hated  by  the  opium-smoking  class,  still  I  should  not  be 
blamed  for  crying  out  in  protest  against  this  evil.'* 

To  such  a  preface,  who  cannot  but  say  "Amen!" 
and  hope  that  soon  the  drug  will  be  removed  from  the 
land? 


VIII 
NANKING 

PART  I.— THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITAL 

Nanking  is  not  the  capital  of  a  province,  but  it  is 
the  seat  of  a  viceroy  who  superintends  the  three  gover- 
nors at  Anking,  Nanchang,  and  Soochow.  As  these 
are  capitals  of  populous  and  important  provinces,  the 
viceroy  here  is  one  of  the  most  influential  personages 
in  the  Empire  and  his  residence  clearly  demands  notice. 
Moreover,  while  at  present  it  ranks  only  as  a  city  in  the 
province  of  Kiangsu,  yet  it  has  been  the  capital  of  a 
kingdom  and  even  of  the  Empire.  There  is  another 
city  in  the  same  plight — Peking.  This  is  a  city  in  the 
province  of  Chihli,  whose  nominal  capital  is  Paoting,  yet 
Peking  is  the  capital  of  the  whole  Empire.  Compare 
with  the  United  States.  Each  State  has  its  own  capital ; 
a  tour  through  Atlanta,  Columbia,  Raleigh,  Richmond, 
Annapolis,  Dover,  Harrisburg,  Trenton,  Albany, 
Hartford,  Newport,  Boston,  Concord,  Montpelier,  and 
Augusta  which  should  profess  to  deal  with  the  Atlantic 
capitals  might  be  technically  correct,  yet  people  would 
marvel  at  the  omission  of  Washington,  New  York,  and 
Philadelphia  on  the  plea  that  they  were  not  "  capitals." 
So  we  mean  to  add  to  the  provincial  capitals  of  China 
the  two  capitals,  Nanking  and  Peking. 

And  another  paradox:  These  two  are  titles,  not 
names.  Strictly,  the  words  mean  "  Southern  Capital," 
"  Northern  Capital."  Their  names  are  Kiangning  and 
Shun-t'ien^  though  the  nomenclature  of  Peking  is  a 

*  The  real  name  of  Peking  is  Shun-tMen.  "  Kingsz "  (^  6f)  simply 
means  "  capital "  or  "  metropolis."  It  is  the  Kinsay,  or  Quinsay,  of 
Marco  Polo,  by  which  of  course  he  meant,  not  Peking,  but  the  modem 
Hangchow,  which  was  the  capital  imder  the  Sung  dynsisty. 

191 


192  THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITAL 

study  in  itself.  Leaving  this  to  be  dealt  with  sepa- 
rately, we  proceed  to  present  a  study  of  the  past  of 
Nanking,  drawn  from  oral  tradition,  an  inscription  of 
1690,  and  the  official  annals  of  the  province.  Of  this 
last  source  we  desire  to  speak  again  with  much  respect 
for  the  antiquaries  who  have  co-operated  to  collect  and 
winnow  the  lore  of  the  past.  And  we  warn  all  future 
students  of  them  that  these  volumes  which  have  been 
so  strangely  neglected,  even  until  our  own  resurrec- 
tion of  them,  will  soon  be  inaccessible.  In  every  prov- 
ince the  new  spirit  is  touching  the  officials,  and  fresh 
editions  are  being  rapidly  prepared,  which  are  Bowd- 
lerised  past  belief  in  the  hope  of  eliminating  the 
superstitions  and  absurdities  of  the  past.  But  whoso 
would  understand  the  atmosphere  of  the  fast  vanishing 
China  must  obtain,  even  at  fancy  prices,  the  old  editions 
of  these  annals.  The  task  will  soon  be  as  difficult  as 
when  the  immortal  Ch*in  Shih  Huang  Ti  had  all  the 
editions  of  his  day  burned,  for  while  it  may  be  hard  to 
credit  that  "  robbers  burned  these,"  the  glib  excuse  at 
so  many  shops,  the  fact  remains  that  they  are  rapidly 
vanishing  from  libraries  and  book-stores. 

The  story  of  Nanking  begins  with  that  great  con- 
queror and  reformer,  the  Great  Ch'in.  On  his  famous 
tour  to  inspect  the  dominions  he  had  annexed,  he  pitched 
his  camp  on  the  north  of  the  Great  River.  Rising 
early  the  next  morning  and  pushing  aside  the  portiere 
at  his  tent  door,  he  saw  above  the  mountain  across  the 
water  a  rosy  cloud,  and  in  the  cloud  the  outline  of  an 
Emperor.  He  knew  the  omen:  there  was  a  dragon 
in  that  mountain,  and  a  dragon's  business  is  to  produce 
Emperors,  therefore  this  dragon  must  be  interviewed, 
and  some  arrangement  must  be  made  with  him.  "  Hoi 
Boats  and  rowers !  Bearers  to  carry  me  up  the  hill ! " 
And  in  due  time  the  place  was  located  where  the  dragon 
abode.     Now  to  deal  with  a  dragon,  as  with  any  rival 


M,L  M 


..>* 

•  ^•^t 


Nanking. 


BVBN  THE  BLIND  OPEN   THEIB  £T£S   (UKK  SACCKRs)   AT  HOMBT 


Kiangning  means  "The  River's  Peace."    This  is  the  official  name  of  Nanking, 
which  is  translated  "  The  Southern  Capital." 


13 


194  THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITAL 

potentate,  there  are  two  plans:  to  take  away  his  valu- 
ables and  so  render  him  impotent,  at  the  cost  of  earning 
his  anger,  or  to  present  him  with  valuables  and  purchase 
his  good  will.  Ch'in  chose  the  latter.  He  buried  much 
treasure  on  the  dragon's  neck  and  left  him  to  enjoy  it, 
providing  him — and  it — with  a  guard  of  honour  lest 
mere  robbers  should  "  convey  " — as  the  wise  call  it — 
the  hoard  away.  Thus  about  212  B.C.,  there  was  built 
a  camp,  Kienk'ang,  "  Joy  Established,"  which  remained 
for  centuries  guarding  the  treasure  and  ensuring  that  no 
Emperor  should  be  born  hence  to  disturb  the  ruler 
de  facto. 

To  this  picturesque  tradition  may  be  added  another, 
recorded  on  the  spot  by  the  Vermillion  Pencil  of  the 
Emperor  K'ang  Hsi,  whose  authority  for  events  some 
two  or  three  thousand  years  before  his  time  is  unim- 
peachable: "  This  place  .  .  .  was  by  that  ancient 
book,  '  The  Tribute  of  Yii,'  included  in  the  region  of 
Yangchow.  Under  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti  it  was  made 
the  seat  of  a  district  and  a  prefecture,  at  which  time  it 
was  called  Mo-ling.  Under  the  Han  dynasty,  Sun 
Ch  uan^  called  it  Kien  Yeh." 

When  the  Second  Empire  broke  up  with  the  Hans, 
a  kingdom  called  Wu  was  formed  in  the  lower  basin  of 
the  Yangtze,  and  its  capital  was  at  one  time  located  at 
Soochow;  at  another  period  it  must  have  been  near  here 
— some  say  it  was  on  this  very  site.  What  was  the 
dragon  doing? 

When  the  Tatars  had  conquered  the  original  China, 
the  basin  of  the  Yellow  River,  while  the  Chinese  held 
the  Yangtze  basin,  the  Eastern  Tsin  established  their 
capital  here,  say  from  317  a.d. 

'Sun  Ch'iian  (181-252  a.d.)  was  king  of  the  Wu  referred  to  in  the 
next  paragraph.  He  at  first  acknowledged  the  suzerainty  of  Wei,  but 
in  229  he  threw  oflF  his  allegiance  and  proclaimed  himself  first  Emperor 
of  the  Wu  dynasty,  which  lasted  until  277. 


v.  n   :     ''Jill  ?!^i 


=°  QNVISI3HT....I 


:  hit A^^ 


THE  OODCEITKD   MAN   STINKS ! 

When  the  Tatars  were  expelled  and  the  Sui  dynasty 
founded  the  Third  Empire,  they  shifted  their  head- 
querters  away  to  the  danger  point  of  the  north.  The 
veracious  K'ang  Hsi  informs  us  that  under  their  suc- 
cessors, the  T'angs,  "for  the  first  time  a  wall  was  huilt, 
and  the  city  was  named  Kinling."  This  may  be  true 
about  this  precise  site,  but  it  is  hardly  accurate  to  ignore 
that  within  a  short  distance  the  capital  had  lain. 

When  the  kingdom  of  Wu  revived,  this  district 
became  again  its  headquarters  from  907  onwards,  but 
with  the  Mongol  conquest  of  1280  it  subsided  again  into 
insignificance.  At  this  point  oral  tradition  comes  again 
to  the  fore,  far  more  interesting  than  mere  fact ! 

A  couple  of  ministers  came  here  from  Kambalu 
(Peking),  and  it  began  to  be  whispered  that  a  man 
hence  would  be  the  future  Emperor.  Next  came  a 
man  selling  black  plums,  a  strong  man,  a  good  leader 
of  soldiers,  an  oflicer  who  grew  in  power.  His  soldiers 
told  how  the  coming  Emperor  would  be  found  here, 
purple  on  his  back,  green  on  his  head,  the  Son  of 
Heaven.  Many  claimants  arose ;  each  was  taken  to  the 
Imperial  tablet  and  placed  where  the  Imperial  tablet 
had  stood,  but  when  asked  questions  of  state,  some  were 
dumb,  others  answered  folly.  Thus  it  was  seen  they 
were  not  Sons  of  Heaven.  At  length  the  rumor  spread 
that  on  the  Rosy-cloud  Mountain,  the  Hill  of  Good 
Luck,  was  the  true  man.  Crowds  went  to  search  and 
where  Ch'in  had  buried  the  treasure  they  found  a  bare- 
backed man  on  a  stone,  screening  himself  from  the  sun 
with  a  lotus  leaf,  but  assuredly  proclaiming,"  I  am  the 
Son  of  Heaven."  Many  jeered,  till  a  wise  man  pointed 
to  his  back  empurpled  by  the  sun,  his  green  leaf  parasol, 
and  quoted,  "  Purple  back,  green  head ! "  They  led 
him  to  the  Imperial  tablet,  and  his  wisdom  came  out 


196  THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITAL 

with  every  reply  to  test  questions.  Thus  was  the  vision 
of  Ch'in  fulfilled,  thus  did  the  dragon  accomplish  his 
destiny,  for  Hung  Wu  ^  led  the  Sons  of  Han  to  victory 
and  drove  out  the  Mongol. 

Under  the  new  Ming  dynasty  this  was  appropriately 
made  the  capital  of  the  whole  Empire.  A  vast  wall 
was  laid  out  and  everything  was  planned  on  a  gigantic 
scale.  Little,  however,  was  really  accomplished  except 
a  palace,  and  the  choice  of  the  treasure-spot  hallowed 
anew  by  Pao's  staff,  and  his  temple,  as  the  Tomb  of  the 
Mings ;  for  within  thirty-five  years,  one  year  for  a  mile, 
the  exigencies  of  defence  against  the  terrors  of  the  north 
compelled  the  court  to  remove  to  Peking. 

Nanking  then  remains  as  the  Chinese  sentimental 
capital.  Here  no  foreigner  has  ever  reigned;  here  the 
Sons  of  Han  have  rallied  again  and  again  and  have 
driven  out  the  invader.  One  such,  the  Manchu 
Emperor  K'ang  Hsi,  tells  what  he  found  on  his  own 
visit.  "  This  place  [was]  hitherto  called  Kinling 
[Golden  Tomb].  ...  In  the  course  of  a  tour  of  inspec- 
tion we  halted  for  a  time  at  Kiangning  [official  name, 
Tranquilliser  of  the  Great  River,  or  Tranquil  Spot 
near  the  River]  with  the  intention  of  climbing  the  Bell 
Mountain  to  offer  a  libation  at  the  tomb  of  Hung  Wu. 
Passing  thi'ough  the  ancient  palaces,  we  saw  them  over- 
grown by  brambles.  These  imposing  buildings  had 
fallen  into  ruins ;  only  broken  walls  met  the  view." 

Now  in  1850  the  Manchu  dynasty  seemed  tottering 
to  its  fall.  Its  garrisons  certainly  overlooked  every 
important  Chinese  town,  but  their  strength  had  not  been 
tested.  A  war  arose  with  the  Western  barbarians,  and 
behold,  the  Manchus  fled  like  chaff  before  the  wind. 

•This  is  a  year  title.  His  name  was  Chu  Yiian-chang,  and  in  his 
early  youth,  owing  to  extreme  poverty,  he  became  a  novice  for  the 
Buddhist  priesthood.  He  is  popularly  known  as  the  Beggar  King.  The 
story  of  his  rise  to  power  is  stranger  than  Action,  and  altogether  there 
is  no  doubt  that  he  is  one  of  the  greatest  men  that  China  has  produced. 


rr  COSTS   no  8IBEN0TH   to   watch    OTIIBB  LAB0T7B, 

Then  arose  a  Chinese  leader  who  thought  the  hour  of 
freedom  had  arrived.  In  the  mountains  of  Kwangsi 
he  gathered  adherents,  whom  he  attached  to  himself  by 
a  new  rite  invented  with  help  from  some  Christian  tracts 
written  by  another  Chinese.  Raising  the  patriotic 
standard  and  the  cry,  "  China  for  the  Chinese,"  he  came 
down  from  the  mountains  into  Hunan.  City  after  city 
fell  (although  the  capital  repulsed  them) ,  the  Manchus 
finding  no  support  from  the  Chinese  and  being  usually 
massacred  to  the  last  man.  Hankow  was  a  stage  in 
the  advance,  and  with  the  vessels  captured  here  the 
whole  of  the  Yangtze  basin  lay  open.  Anking  fell,  and 
the  viceroy  was  slain.  Within  thirty-two  months  from 
the  beginning  of  the  revolt  Nanking  was  captured  and 
the  patriot  was  enthroned  at  that  Chinese  capital  as 
Son  of  Heaven,  March  11,  1853.  He  abolished  the 
Manchu  badge,  the  hair  plaited  into  a  cue,  and  exhorted 
the  people  to  resume  the  old  fashion  of  wearing  it 
naturally.  But  though  he  appointed  kings  and  gen- 
erals, some  of  whom  understood  their  business,  he  suc- 
ceeded neither  in  reorganising  the  great  Empire  that 
was  already  in  his  power,  all  the  middle  and  south,  nor 
in  driving  back  the  alien  Manchu  to  his  Manchuria. 
Little  by  little  the  Chinese  lost  confidence  in  him;  the 
Manchus  at  the  north  pressed  again,  and  a  miscellaneous 
army  led  by  Western  barbarians  was  recruited  against 
him  in  the  south  and  centre.  His  revived  Chinese 
Empire  soon  weltered  down  into  chaos;  some  wretched 
cities  were  besieged  and  taken  six  times  in  three  years, 
and  at  last  (1864)  the  Manchus  closed  around  the 
doomed  capital  of  Nanking.  One  hundred  and  forty 
forts  were  erected  around  it,  miles  of  earthen  ramparts 
were  thrown  up,  and  all  the  horrors  that  Josephus 
records    of   Jerusalem,    down    to    cannibalism,    were 


198  THE  SOUTHERN  CAPITAL 

enacted  within.  After  six  weeks  of  isolation  the  walls 
were  breached  with  mines,  and  most  of  the  patriots  were 
massacred. 

One  survivor  we  interviewed,  now  an  old  man  of 
seventy-eight,  Mr.  Yin.  He  had  been  captured  by  the 
T*ai-p*ings,  the  "  Peace-givers,"  as  they  called  them- 
selves, and  his  life  had  been  spared  on  condition  he 
joined  them.  Having  no  weapons,  he  had  to  serve  as 
a  coolie.  He  was  not  at  the  capture  of  Anking  and 
the  three  days'  sack  that  followed,  having  gone  to  his 
home  three  hundred  and  sixty  li  away,  but  was  captured 
later.  After  working  for  a  year  as  a  labourer,  he  was 
sent  on  to  Nanking  and  enlisted  in  the  body-guard. 
There  was,  however,  little  fighting  at  this  time,  only 
mining,  so  he  was  sent  back  to  the  country,  where  he 
took  part  in  twenty  fights.  One  of  the  most  notable 
sieges  was  the  defence  of  Ch'angchow,  where  there  were 
about  20,000  on  each  side.  The  T'ai-p'ings  would  quit 
the  defences  and  come  out  to  fight  on  the  level  plain. 
Twelve  days  did  this  last,  the  bullets  like  rain,  the  blood 
like  rivers,  the  bodies  like  leaves.  But  there  was  no 
fear  among  the  T'ai-p'ings;  they  worshipped  God  and 
were  not  afraid.  The  city  was  captured  at  last.  He 
got  a  thrust  in  the  back,  but  escaped  with  his  life;  as 
he  thinks  now,  he  was  preserved  by  Providence  to  wit- 
ness for  the  Gospel.  Most  of  the  defenders  were  put 
to  the  sword,  and  as  they  went  to  the  execution  ground, 
some  braved  it  out  to  the  last,  cheerily  rubbing  their 
necks  and  saying,  "  My  neck  itches  here ;  please  take 
my  head  off." 

Mr.  Yin  remembers  a  great  religious  service  in  the 
T'ai-p'ing  army,  when  the  officers  led  the  soldiers  in 
kneeling  and  repeating  aloud  twenty-four  sentences 
beginning,  "  Praise  God !  Praise  Jesus  Christ !  Praise 
the  Holy  Spirit!"  When  the  worship  was  over  the 
paper  was  ceremoniously  burned.     That  service  con- 


IV  ONB  BRANCH    WILL   NOT  MOVB   THB   WHOLK  TBEE    WiUi  NOT   WAVB 

veyed  nothing  to  him,  for  there  was  no  teaching,  and 
foreigners  were  very  dubious  as  to  the  whole  movement, 
hesitating  to  use  the  opportunities  it  offered.  But 
some  ten  years  ago  Mr.  Yin  heard  a  foreigner  preach- 
ing outside  the  Treasury,  with  an  unruly  crowd  saying, 
"  Foreign  devil,  devil  words!  "  Yet  the  foreigner  grad- 
ually won  their  attention  and  his  interest,  his  sympathy. 
He  enquired,  joined,  and  is  now  an  earnest  Christian. 
The  T'ai-p'ings  began  to  fail  when  they  neglected 
their  religious  services!  The  Chinese  rising  was  pre- 
mature and  ill-considered!  It  reminds  us  strangely  of 
the  rising  under  Cromwell  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  the 
hated  foreigners  from  the  north,  the  Stuarts.  There 
was  the  same  mixture  of  patriotism  and  religion,  the 
same  success  in  the  field,  the  same  inability  to  organise 
so  as  to  win  the  confidence  of  all,  the  same  collapse 
within  twelve  years,  the  same  riveting  of  the  foreign 
yoke.  Will  the  parallel  go  further?  Within  thirty 
years  England  rose  again  and  the  Stuarts  fled.  What 
of  China?  Let  Nanking  answer.  A  shepherd  wan- 
dering over  the  desolate  hills  where  the  Tomb  of  the 
Ming  lies  forlorn,  met  a  stranger  in  antique  garb.  "  Is 
the  day  light?  "  The  shepherd,  bewildered,  replied  liter- 
ally, "  Only  dawn  yet,  not  light."  The  Ming  "*  hero 
turned  and  went  back,  awaiting  till  the  Rosy  Cloud 
shall  shine  and  the  dragon  raise  up  the  deliverer. 

PART  II.— THE  NEW  NANKING 

Nanking  is  not  what  it  was.  Gone  is  its  famous 
porcelain  tower,  carefully  unbuilt  by  the  T'ai-p'ings 
because  of  its  geomantic  influence.  Gone  are  its  manu- 
f uactures,  once  so  famous  that "  Nankeen  "  was  a  trade- 
mark as  well  known  as  Sheffield  and  Brummagem. 

*  Ming  means  "  light,"  or  "  bright." 


200  THE  NEW  NANKING 

Where  palaces  gleamed,  there  the  beautiful  shalo  tree 
throws  out  its  bunches  of  seven  leaves,  or  in  early  sum- 
mer blooms  with  flowering  spikes,  or  in  autumn  yields 
its  chestnuts,  '*  good  for  heart-ache."  Where  the 
Imperial  tomb  ought  to  command  reverence,  the  gin- 
seng grows  for  medicine.  Houses  have  yielded  to 
groves  of  quince  and  apricot  and  cherry.  Within  walls 
thirty  miles  in  circuit,  only  some  140,000  people  dwell. 
It  is  a  city  of  departed  glory.  True,  an  arsenal  is  there, 
and  a  powder-mill,  with  naval  and  military  colleges, 
but  these  are  the  sort  of  establishments  that  offer  no 
hope  for  the  future.  An  effort  is  now  making  to 
rejuvenate  the  city.  The  first  Exposition,  or  White 
City,  was  held  in  tastefully  sculptured  buildings  credit- 
able to  the  originators  of  a  great  national  exhibition. 

Of  the  old  Nanking  we  saw  among  others  two  relics, 
the  bell  and  the  scissors.  The  bell  has  a  famous  story 
of  how  the  Emperor  bade  the  founder  cast  him  the 
largest  bell  in  the  world ;  how  he  failed  again  and  again ; 
how  his  daughter's  death  would  reward  his  failure,  and 
how  at  the  crucial  moment  she  threw  herself  into  the 
molten  metal  as  a  sacrifice;  how  the  bell  was  cast,  and 
ever  since  has  pealed  melodious  notes.  Will  this 
legend  long  be  told?  The  new  edition  of  the  annals 
has  a  note  that  "  We  have  taken  the  chapters  on  virtu- 
ous widows  and  filial  daughters  and  have  incorporated 
them  in  the  chapter  on  brave  women."  Omens  have 
disappeared  from  this  edition,  and  perhaps  there  will 
soon  be  a  revision  as  to  suicide. 

The  "  scissors "  is  a  mass  of  cast  iron  somewhat 
like  a  damaged  X,  reputed  to  have  fallen  from  heaven. 
Close  at  hand  are  upright  stones  for  supporting  a  pole, 
and  the  idea  forces  itself  on  the  mind  that  all  these  relics 
point  to  an  ancient  temple  or  pagoda  here. 

Every  new  dynasty  gives  the  signal  that  the  sacred- 
ness  of  public  graves  is  ended.     The  idea  that  as  wor- 


TuAN  Fang,  the  progressive  Viceroy,  caged  the  Ming  Tomb  Elephants 
TO  prevent  foreigners  chipping  off  mementoes.     Nanking. 


Kiangsi  Vase. 


A  W  =S,  tl «  ^  «" 

XHB  TREE  rOB  SHADS ;  THB  MAN  FOR  BEPOTATION 

ship  there  encouraged  good  luck,  the  new  ruler  desired 
to  stop  that,  and  to  build  up  new  good  luck  to  accrue 
to  his  line.  A  more  prosaic  explanation  is  that  a  large 
quantity  of  land  is  thus  rendered  available  for  cultiva- 
tion— and  taxation!  Perhaps  we  have  here  an  added 
inducement  in  the  minds  of  some  reformers  to  change 
again.  On  the  other  hand,  precautions  are  being  taken 
by  the  conservatives;  a  student  returning  from  Japan 
two  years  ago  was  talking  so  freely  that  an  official  was 
sent  to  draw  him  out.  His  utterances  were  revolu- 
tionary. To  save  wider  trouble,  he  was  promptly 
beheaded. 

The  graves  have  been  rather  disturbed  of  late. 
New  forts  have  arisen  on  the  hills  around;  we  do  not 
know  whether  one  of  them  revises  the  guardianship 
over  the  Ch'in-Ming  dragon.  But  the  most  striking 
alteration  has  been  due  to  the  immigration  of  the  for- 
eigner. The  new  establishments  have  drawn  a  few 
aliens  to  erect  or  to  supervise,  but  there  has  been  a  slow 
infiltration  of  Americans,  till  now  there  are  sixty-four 
men  and  women  from  across  the  Pacific,  representing 
seven  different  missionary  societies.  This  began  in 
1876,  when  the  memory  of  the  T'ai-p'ing  movement 
was  still  vivid.  To  secure  a  foothold  was  not  easy  in 
the  face  of  suspicion  and  abuse,  and  for  four  years  the 
hold  was  most  precarious.  Within  six  years  there  was 
a  dispensary,  a  day-school  was  going,  and  evangelisa- 
tion was  carried  on  in  city  and  country.  Two  years 
later  a  girls'  school  was  opened,  but  this  was  a  venture 
of  faith.  Men  hardly  dared  taste  food  in  a  foreign 
house;  women  feared  that  trap-doors  might  engulf 
them,  and  only  after  some  days  did  one  timid  little  girl 
venture  in.  For  three  days  she  would  do  nothing  but 
eat,  and  the  first  lesson  offered  scared  her  away. 


202  THE  NEW  NANKING 

To-day  five  such  schools  house  three  hundred  girls, 
all  gleeful  in  kindergarten  and  the  most  approved 
American  methods.  Even  the  graves  on  the  local  Wu 
Tai  Shan  were  displaced  to  build  a  theological  semi- 
nary! 

In  one  important  respect  the  Americans  have 
broken  new  ground.  The  Chinese  believe  firmly  in 
ghosts,  and  think  that  a  suicide  haunts  the  house.  What 
house  in  Nanking  can  be  free,  after  the  two  sieges  and 
the  wholesale  self-murder  of  the  women?  Every  well  in 
the  city  has  at  one  time  or  another  been  full  of  women! 
Hence  there  is  always  a  good  supply  of  haunted 
houses  in  the  hands  of  the  agents,  and  frequently 
the  missionaries  and  their  converts  secure  bargains.  In 
one  case  they  had  an  ineligible  house  cheap;  when  the 
preachers  had  reared  prosperous  families,  the  former 
owner  took  it  back  with  restored  feng-shui  at  a  high 
price.  A  fortune-teller  asked  with  some  surprise  if 
we  had  no  ghosts  or  devils  in  America ;  hearing  that  we 
had  none,  he  sagely  inferred  that  our  religion  had  driven 
all  over  here.  It  is  a  fine  idea  that  Christianity  is  a 
prophylactic  against  ghosts.  At  present  the  approved 
method  against  them  is  to  send  for  a  sorcerer  or  call  in 
Taoist  priests  or  Buddhist  monks  to  chant  and  drum. 
It  may  become  more  popular  to  hire  a  Christian  as 
tenant ! 

The  Christians  are  getting  ready  to  cope  with  the 
demand.  Four  professors  in  the  Theological  Seminary 
have  forty  Chinese  who  in  three  years  will  all  be  out 
preaching.  Meantime  they  study,  especially  the  New 
Testament.  And  the  law  students  find  that  they  too 
must  know  church  history  if  they  would  understand 
law!  So  from  all  motives  the  Christian  teachers  have 
their  work  abundant.    May  they  rejuvenate  Nanking! 


IX 
ANKING 

PART  I.— A  WALK  ROUND  THE  WALL 

Anhwei  is  a  modern  province  with  a  name  made 
up  from  syllables  of  the  names  of  its  two  chief  towns. 
There  is  a  university  in  Texas  known  as  Ad-Ran,  from 
Adolphus  and  Randolph,  two  brothers  who  founded  it ; 
their  system  of  nomenclature  is  quite  Anhweistic.  The 
first  syllable  here  is  difficult  to  pronounce  and  is  some- 
times spelt  Ngan. 

This  capital  Anking  is  on  the  Yangtze  north  bank, 
some  360  miles  up  from  Shanghai  and  150  from  Nan- 
king, for  which  city  in  ancient  times  Anking  was  said 
to  exercise  the  claw-throat  grip.  In  shape  it  is  rather 
a  flattened  circle  with  a  gate  at  the  northwest,  one  at 
the  southwest,  two  on  the  river  front,  and  one  on  the 
west.  Its  outstanding  feature  is  the  rolling  character 
of  the  area  within  the  wall,  furnishing  perfect  drainage 
and  superb  building  sites.  A  native  describes  it  as  9 
li  and  13  steps  in  circuit;  to  the  north  carrying  the  Big 
Dragon  on  its  back;  on  the  east  bounded  by  a  lake;  on 
the  west  limited  by  a  river;  on  the  south  looking  over 
the  Great  River.  Thus  it  is  distinctly  one  of  the  small- 
est provincial  capitals,  and  may  contain  as  few  as  70,000 
people;  nor  has  it  any  obvious  means  of  support,  but 
swarms  with  officials  in  esse  and  in  posse. 

The  size  of  the  city  being  moderate,  Missionary  Lee  * 
and  myself  decided  to  circumvallate  it  and  study  its  char- 
acteristics from  the  wall;  at  one  point  only  was  there 

•  Edmund  J.  Lee  M.A.,  who  with  his  associate  Missionaries  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Mission  are  sympathetically  and  successfully  working 
together  with  the  C.I.M.,  to  Christianize  the  Chinese  of  Anking. 

203 


204  A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

much  temptation  to  come  down,  to  investigate  the  Great 
Pagoda,  as  to  which  separately.  We  decided  to  travel 
*'  deasil,"  in  due  accord  with  the  sun,  so  as  to  have  him  at 
our  backs  all  the  time  and  have  the  good  luck  of  con- 
templating our  own  august  shadows. 

Just  outside  the  North  Gate,  Che  Hsien,  "  Meet- 
ing-place of  the  Wise  and  Virtuous,"  lies  the  execution 
ground,  signalised  to  all  and  sundry  by  a  Buddhist  stone 
bearing  inscriptions,  "  Call  on  Buddha,"  "  Call  on  the 
Great  Goddess  of  Mercy,"  "Those  Beheaded  or 
Strangled  are  thenceforth  Free  from  Suffering."  No 
execution  was  due  that  day,  and  the  governor  did  not 
offer  to  arrange  one,  but  the  etiquette  is  thus  reported : 
As  soon  as  the  governor  receives  the  Imperial  death- 
warrant,  he  forwards  it  to  the  local  magistrates.  A 
tablet  bearing  a  tiger's  head  has  the  name  of  the  crim- 
inal inscribed,  issuing  from  the  mouth,  and  this  goes 
to  the  prison,  where  he  is  at  once  congratulated  on  his 
imminent  release  from  suffering.  Being  allowed 
plenty  of  wine  and  pork,  he  is  bared  to  the  waist,  tied 
on  a  chair  without  top  or  sides,  and  escorted  out  of  the 
gate.  At  this  point  an  officer  falls  in  ahead  of  him  with 
a  gleaming  knife;  at  the  ground  he  kneels  down  with 
the  exhibition  knife  in  front,  and  suddenly  the  real 
executioner  comes  from  behind  with  the  practicable 
knife  and  sweeps  off  his  head.  The  executioner  rushes 
into  the  city,  cleanses  his  weapon  in  the  temple  of  the 
god  of  war,  offers  a  cheap  sacrifice  to  avert  any  evil 
omen,  lets  off  fire-crackers,^  and  draws  his  eight  hun- 
dred cash.  Meantime  the  crowd  on  the  wall  shout 
and  clap  to  scare  the  spirit  away  from  re-entering  the 
city.  This  double  knife  arrangement  is  illuminating. 
Advertisements  of  practical  chimney-sweeps  are 
thought  stimulating.     Evidently  in  many  professions 

*  Fire-crackers  began  to  be  used  in  the  T'ang  dynasty. 


+  ^^*w-|| 


205 


BUT  OMOB  WITH  CASH  RATHER  THAN  TEN  TIMKS  ON  CRIDIT 


Anking  means  "Peace  and  Happiness,"  or  "Peaceful  Congratulations." 
The  name  Anking  (  ^^  )  is  composed  of  two  parts.  "An"  (  .^)  is  also 
composed  of  two  parts;  one  a  "Roof"  (  ♦*»  ),  the  other  a  "woman"  (  "JS^  ) 
the  whole  combined  means  rest  or  peace.  "  King "  (  »  )  is  composed  of 
three  parts;  "a  deer"  ()^),  "a  heart"  (^^i),  and  a  "traiUng  walk"  (3?.). 
Denotes  the  ancient  practice  of  presenting  deer  skins  on  festive  occasions. 
Modern  meaning  is  "  congratulations."  Hence  the  name  Anking  may  be  said 
to  mean  "Peaceful  Congratulations." 


206  A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

one  man  poses,  but  another  does  the  work;  does  he 
always  draw  the  pay? 

Just  beyond  Westwood's  China  Inland  Mission  was 
a  magpie's  nest,  carefully  preserved  for  good  luck.  The 
crow  would  be  hooted  oif  as  a  harbinger  of  bad  luck: 
"  The  crow  must  not  open  its  bill."  Other  tokens  of 
luck  a-wanting  were  strewn  about,  in  the  shape  of 
coffins  waiting  for  the  geomancers  to  determine  a 
favourable  spot  for  interment,  and  sheltered  meantime 
beneath  mats  or  tiles. 

Set  into  the  battlements  is  a  horizontal  inscription 
composed  of  four  large  characters  ^  which  seem  to  say, 
"  Ought-to-be-a-city  is  fortified  by  nature."  A  native 
scholar  explained  that  in  ancient  times  a  great  general 
came  upon  this  spot  and  said,  "  This  is  a  proper  place 
for  a  city;  there  ought  to  be  one  here."  So  the  legend 
goes  that  Anking  was  first  called  "  I,"  or  "  Ought-to- 
be."  "Is  fortified  by  nature  "  signifies  that  none  of 
the  hills  are  artificial,  as  at  Kaifeng,  Peking,  and  other 
cities;  it  has  just  been  placed  here  on  this  rolling  land 
"  according  to  the  Will  of  Heaven."  We  do  not  hold 
ourselves  responsible  for  this  translation. 

Along  this  section  the  wall  has  been  recently 
repaired.  Since  the  mutiny  two  years  ago  new  guard- 
houses, and  -military  schools  have  been  dotted  about. 
Hitherto  China  has  been  a  literary  nation;  she 
wants  only  ten  years  to  complete  her  conversion,  and 
then  will  be  a  military  one.  Then,  as  the  Anking 
proverb  runs,  "  Look  at  the  master's  face  before  you 
beat  the  dog  I "  There  was  an  exhibition  here,  and  its 
buildings  are  now  used  for  a  government  Middle  School. 
Of  primaries  there  are  hundreds ;  of  high  schools  there 
are  ten,  including  special  provision  for  girls,  surveying, 
law,  science,  etc. 

^The  word  "ideograph"  is  inexact  as  applied  to  Chinese  Characters, 
except    for    a   certain    small    class. 


^■r : 


THK  LAZY    DSK  A   LONG   THKEAD ;   THK   STDFID,    A   CKOOKKD   NRKDLB 

One  such  institution,  a  little  further  on,  was  the 
Police  Learning  Hall.  At  a  recent  commencement  the 
governor  and  other  superior  officials  were  attending, 
when  a  man  drew  a  revolver  and  missed  the  governor; 
a  taotai,  snatching  the  same  weapon,  was  more  success- 
ful with  three  shots.  The  governor  was  carried  back 
to  his  Yamen,  sent  for  the  American  surgeon  Taylor, 
and  bade  him  operate  on  the  abdominal  wound ;  "  Take 
it  out,  take  this  one  out."  But  the  injuries  were  too 
severe,  and  he  died.  A  Chinese  doctor  was  also  sum- 
moned, but  he  merely  drew  a  fee  of  eight  hundred  taels. 
It  seems  that  a  plot  was  being  elaborated  which  might 
have  led  to  a  serious  rising,  but  the  precipitancy  of  the 
first  man  prevented  any  further  developments.  One 
of  the  conspirators  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  eat  the 
list  of  those  who  were  banded  together,  and  though  sus- 
picion lighted  on  him  there  was  no  proof,  and  he  remains 
in  the  police.  But  evidently  there  was  wide-spread 
anticipation  of  trouble ;  a  double  rank  of  police  students 
had  been  drawn  up,  between  whom  the  governor  passed, 
and  the  assassin  followed  him.  On  his  hand  the  assas- 
sin had  written  " Kinhu  (protect  me),"  which  he  sig- 
nificantly showed  to  the  students,  and  they  expected 
what  followed.  He  did  indeed  succeed  in  killing  the 
commandant,  then  went  with  some  followers  to  the 
arsenal,  saying  that  the  governor  had  sent  him  for 
munitions;  but  the  keeper  fortunately  would  not  act 
without  a  written  order.  He  was  arrested,  and  at  the 
government  Yamen  his  heart  was  torn  out  and  pre- 
sented on  a  dish  to  his  victim's  wife,  after  which  he 
was  beheaded.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the 
governor  richly  deserved  his  fate,  and  lived  in  terror 
of  it.  He  was  the  man  at  Taiyuan,  in  the  Boxer  days, 
who  brought  the  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  to  the 


208  A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

Yamen  under  pretence  of  keeping  them  safe,  and  there 
murdered  them  all.  Here  at  Anhwei  he  was  most  sus- 
picious ;  all  his  food  and  tea  were  prepared  in  his  pres- 
ence, a  sentry  always  stood  at  his  door,  his  bearers 
always  went  at  the  run,  his  face  showed  constant  watch- 
fulness and  fear.  Yet  such  an  ill  judge  of  character 
was  he,  that  he  himself  appointed  to  office  this  revolu- 
tionary, fresh  from  Japan,  who  proved  his  murderer. 
Whatever  the  character  of  the  governor,  it  would  never 
do  to  slight  the  incident,  therefore  the  hall  where  he 
was  assassinated  is  now  being  converted  into  a  memorial 
to  him,  with  his  tablet  prominently  displayed. 

Not  far  off  is  the  shrine  to  the  God  of  the  Soil.  He, 
being  a  rustic  god,  ranks  lower  than  the  City  God. 
Within  the  walls  it  is  his  business  only  to  attend  to  the 
vegetable  gardens;  but  outside,  the  farms  fall  into 
his  jurisdiction,  besides  the  graves  which  are  dotted 
about  every  few  li.  In  a  general  way  he  is  adored 
with  incense  and  fire-crackers,  but  in  spring  and  autumn 
he  has  extraordinary  festivals,  when  gongs  are  super- 
added, prayers  are  chanted,  and  fish,  chicken,  and  pork 
are  presented  at  his  shrine  and  consumed  by  the  Taoist 
priests  and  the  gardeners.  Perhaps,  however,  quite 
as  much  good  is  done  to  the  soil  by  the  careful  enriching 
it  receives.  Near  the  old  Mint  buildings  men  are  busy 
scraping  out  the  bottom  of  a  pond;  this  is  one  of  the 
favourite  sources  of  fertiliser — when  the  moat  dries, 
all  the  gardeners  may  be  seen  cleaning  it  out  and  adding 
works  to  their  faith  in  the  god. 

A  little  further  on  the  Peace  Society  had  its  flag 
out  and  its  workmen  repairing  the  graves  of  the  poor. 
The  generosity  of  this  guild  is  devoted  to  various  benefi- 
cent ends.  It  provides  coffins  and  burials  for  executed 
criminals  and  for  paupers ;  for  the  indigent  it  has  stores 
of  clothes,  drugs,  herbs,  and  even  rice;  these  may  be 
obtained  under  cost,  or,  in  case  of  extreme  need,  free. 


THB  LOAD  OAMNOT  CABBT  THK  ASS 

The  guild  is  composed  not  only  of  officials  but  of  mer- 
chants and  the  richer  classes  generally;  its  flag  has  an 
inscription  telling  its  aims. 

The  East  Gate  is  officially  named  Ts'ung  Yang 
Men,  incorporating  the  name  of  a  town  some  ninety  li 
along  the  road,  much  as  Manchester  has  its  London 
Road  and  Oxford  Road  stations.  On  either  side  of  the 
outer  gate  is  a  soft  marble  slab  some  five  feet  high, 
credited  by  the  natives  with  highly  medicinal  proper- 
ties, especially  for  asthma  and  indigestion.  They 
scrape  off  a  dram  of  the  white  stone,  infuse  it  in  boiling 
water,  and  drink;  so  both  slabs  show  signs  of  deep  wear. 

A  tea-house  outside  the  wall  here,  opposite  the 
pagoda,  saw  the  detection  of  an  imposter  a  few  years 
ago.  A  holy  Buddhist  nun  was  on  a  pilgrimage,  pro- 
tected by  a  banner-man  or  soldier ;  many  nunneries  had 
been  visited,  and  the  charities  of  the  faithful  had  evi- 
dently poured  in  plentifully,  for  a  settling  of  accounts 
was  undertaken  here,  in  which  the  valet  felt  himself 
wronged.  He  therefore  laid  an  information  before  the 
magistrate,  who  speedily  summoned  the  nun  and  cross- 
questioned  her.  Finally  he  ordered  her  to  strip  in  the 
court.  Even  an  ordinary  woman  in  China  would 
rather  commit  suicide,  but  the  "  nun "  proved  to  be 
male.  Strange  to  say,  Jie  was  allowed  to  disappear. 
He  well  illustrated  the  proverb,  "  A  bird's  heart  is 
hidden  by  its  feathers." 

Turning  westward  along  the  river  front,  the  small 
South  Gate,  K*ang  Chi,  "  Peaceful  Crossing,"  is  soon 
reached.  Over  the  door  of  the  tower  is  a  tablet  with 
four  characters,  "  River  Kingdom  Wind  Clear."  These 
lend  themselves  to  many  interpretations.  "  The  wind 
blows  gently  on  the  river  in  the  Empire "  might 
be  a  poetic  way  of  saying  that  the  customs  throughout 

14 


210  A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

the  Empire  are  good,  so  that  even  nature  obeys  a  good 
officer.  The  story  goes  that  in  a  great  flood  the  town 
was  swamped;  the  governor  bade  the  minor  officers 
pray,  but  nothing  happened;  when  he  himself  passed 
out  of  this  gate  and  ordered  the  waters  to  be  scourged 
with  thirty  strokes  of  an  iron  chain,  they  at  once  receded 
several  feet.  The  Emperor  heard,  and  ordered  that 
the  high  character  of  the  governor,  thus  recognised, 
should  be  immortalised  in  the  inscription. 

A  little  further  along  is  the  main  South  Gate,  Cheng 
Kuan,  which  gives  access  to  the  main  street,  leading  to 
all  the  government  offices,  past  the  temple  to  the 
memory  of  patriotic  citizens.  Outside  the  West  Gate 
is  a  large  suburb,  itself  guarded  by  a  subsidiary  wall 
with  three  gates. 

From  the  wall  it  is  easy  to  descend  to  the  principal 
mosque,  a  large  and  lofty  building  where  tall,  straight, 
wooden  columns  support  the  roof.  The  tablet  to  the 
Emperor,  so  usual  in  public  buildings,  is  not  on  view 
here — one  of  the  signs  that  a  Chinese  Moslem,  despite 
his  attire  and  speech,  is  not  quite  a  trustworthy  subject. 
The  community  is  flourishing,  maintains  a  school  of  its 
own,  and,  numbering  four  thousand,  is  strong  enough 
to  have  a  second  mosque  outside  the  wall.  Here, 
indeed  there  is  a  conspicuous  tablet  with  an  inscription 
to  this  effect: 

"  Hung  Wu,  first  Emperor  of  the  Ming  Dy- 
nasty, autograph:  the  Hundred  Characters  of 
Praise.  The  name  of  Mohammed  has  been  record- 
ed in  the  archives  of  heaven.  A  propagator  of 
religion,  a  great  preacher,  born  in  the  west,  he  re- 
ceived thirty  copies  of  the  heavenly  classic  to  teach 
the  people.  Head  teacher  of  myraids  and  millions 
of  people,  head  of  many  sages  and  teachers,  able 
to  help  the  heavenly  doctrine,  able  to  protect  the 
people,  he  prayed  five  times  a  day,  and  silently 


THB  SYEBBOWS  Ot   TOOTH  CANNOT  OOMPASB  WITH  THK  BKABD 
or  A»K 

prayed  for  peace.  Ever  he  set  before  him  the  true 
.  .  .  Careful  was  he  to  love  the  poor  and 
save  them  in  the  hour  of  trouble.  Knowing  also 
the  affairs  of  hell,  and  able  to  save  the  soul  from 
sin,  his  compassion  and  love  will  change  the  world. 
His  devotion  is  greater  than  any;  depraved  doc- 
trines will  be  subdued  by  it.  The  name  of  this 
religion  is  Pure  and  True;  Mohammed  is  the 
greatest  of  all  holy  men. 

"  Written  by  Tsung  Yiian-ching  with  clean 
and  reverent  hands.  The  original  tablet  of  praise 
was  destroyed  by  soldiers  during  the  reign  of  Hsien 
Feng.  This  one  is  set  up  in  the  twelfth  year  of 
Kwang  Hsii  [1886]." 

One  of  the  staple  manufactures  here  is  "  India  " 
ink.  A  room  is  prepared  with  protuberances  over  walls 
and  ceiling,  oil  lamps  are  set  smoking,  and  the  soot 
settles  on  these.  When  removed  it  is  compressed  into 
the  familiar  oblongs,  or  may  be  worked  into  elaborate 
shapes,  figured,  and  packed  with  taste,  to  send  to  some 
scholar,  as  in  our  gustatory  and  less  artistic  lands  a  box 
of  chocolate  will  be  sent  to  a  fair  maiden. 

Hu,  an  ex-geomancer,  was  introduced  to  us  and 
undertook  various  commissions  in  the  way  of  copying 
inscriptions.  His  biography  is  quite  interesting,  and 
he  is  one  of  the  best  human  documents  we  have  met. 
He  was  born  at  Tungcheng,  one  hundred  and  twenty 
li  away  at  the  foot  of  a  range  of  hills,  in  a  tiled  brick 
house,  his  father  being  a  government  courier  and  his 
mother  from  a  farmhouse.  As  a  baby  he  was  called 
Leopard,  his  father's  baby-name  having  been  Tiger; 
later  on,  when  it  seemed  he  was  to  be  the  only  child, 
and  as  there  were  but  few  relations,  he  was  called  Prim- 
ogeniture.    His  father,  grandfather,  and  grandmother 


212  A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

were  buried  at  first  west  of  the  city;  then  the  coffins  were 
moved  to  the  south,  as  his  own  five  sons  all  died  and  the 
people  assured  him  the  graves  had  bad  luck.  A  geo- 
mancer  confirmed  the  verdict,  and  was  invited  to  live 
with  them  while  good  luck  was  being  secured.  This 
took  nine  moons,  and  Hu  became  interested  in  his 
methods,  inspecting  the  mountains  with  him  by  day 
and  studying  books  at  night.  Presently  he  began  to 
acquire  a  little  reputation  as  a  geomancer  himself.  A 
neighbour  came  and  invited  him  to  report  on  the  grave 
of  his  son,  as  since  the  burial  a  brother  and  a  cow  had 
died  within  twenty  moons.  A  visit  and  a  diagram 
revealed  that  a  mountain  stream  running  on  each  side 
of  the  coffin  made  it  decidedly  imlucky.  He  picked  out 
a  better  spot  ten  li  away,  and  the  coffin  was  exhumed 
and  reburied  there ;  within  a  year  another  son  was  born, 
and  Hu's  reputation  was  established. 

He  had  already  lost  all  faith  in  idols  and  in  doctors, 
for  when  his  fifth  child  was  ill  he  had  prayed  to  every 
god  he  could  think  of,  had  spent  all  his  savings  on  five 
doctors,  and  had  sought  to  call  the  god's  attention  to  his 
house  by  cracking  looking-glasses  to  reflect  it  and  make 
it  as  tall  and  conspicuous  as  his  neighbours'.  He  had 
been  vainly  approached  by  Mr.  Teng  with  invitations 
to  come  to  a  mission  hall  and  hear  about  the  one  true 
God.  Now  he  threw  over  all  worship,  invested  in  a 
geomantic  library  of  fourteen  books  and  a  large  com- 
pass, and  was  ready  as  a  consulting  geomancer.  The 
compass,  by  the  way,  is  an  ancient  Chinese  discovery; 
the  card  is  divided,  not  into  sixteen  points  as  with  our 
sailors,  but  into  twenty-four,  and  the  south  pole  is  the 
one  marked.^  Though  he  was  consulted  about  ances- 
tral halls  and  about  pig-sties,  yet  his  specialty  was  in 

'The  compass  is  said  to  have  been  invented  by  Chou  Kung  1110  b.c. 
under  the  form  of  a  "  south-pointing  chariot,"  in  order  to  guide  on  their 
return  journey  certain  tribute-bearing  envoys  who  had  come  to  China 
from  Tongking.    This,  however,  is  pure  legend;  and  although  the  Chinese 


BLAMB  TOCRSELF   FIRST,   THKN   OTHERS 

fixing  graves,  and  the  leading  principle  he  followed  was 
to  secure  a  spot  sheltered  from  the  wind,  so  that  it  would 
be  kept  dry.  In  a  damp  place  the  coffin  would  rot, 
while  ants  and  worms  and  snakes  would  get  in ;  then  the 
spirit  would  feel  unpleasantly  crowded,  and  would  inti- 
mate as  much  to  his  friends  by  setting  fire  to  their  house 
or  causing  some  other  disaster. 

Mr.  Teng  did  not  relax  his  efforts,  and  persuaded 
Hu  to  buy  a  mat  and  pray  to  God  at  home.  Two 
moons  later  the  two  men  met  by  accident  outside  the 
preaching  hall  of  the  China  Inland  Mission,  and  Hu 
was  induced  to  enter.  He  took  to  regular  attending, 
and  in  the  sixth  moon  of  the  Sheep  Year  he  was  con- 
verted. The  crisis  was  reached  by  the  illness  of  his 
daughter,  which  began  on  the  one  day  when  the  evange- 
list had  omitted  a  visit.  When  he  heard,  he  came 
round  at  once,  and  found  that  the  mother  was  attribut- 
ing the  illness  to  his  coming;  evidently  it  was  more 
plausible  to  put  it  down  to  his  forgetting  to  come.  He 
carried  off  Hu  to  the  hall ;  they  fasted  and  prayed,  and 
next  day  the  child  was  better,  and  soon  was  quite  well. 

Hu  took  down  his  geomantic  sign,  cooked  his  break- 
fast with  his  ancestral  tablets,  opened  a  shop  to  sell 
earthenware,  and  hung  out  a  notice,  "  Jesus  is  my 
Lord ;  I  am  His  little  assistant."  For  his  mission  he  is 
really  able  to  give  some  help  as  architect  and  surveyor, 
for  in  his  former  studies,  mixed  up  with  wild  theories, 
there  were  some  empiric  observations  of  real  value;  so 
the  Chinese  Christians  who  will  not  call  in  a  geomancer 
have  a  friend  who  will  advise  them  freely  as  to  a  sani- 
tary site  for  building. 

may  have  been  acquainted  with  the  properties  of  the  magnet  as  early 
as  the  Christian  era,  there  appears  to  be  no  authentic  record  of  the  use 
of  the  compass  as  a  nautical  instrument  by  them  previous  to  the  twelfth 
century  of  our  era. 


214       A  WALK  AROUND  THE  WALL 

It  is  curious  that  another  mission,  that  of  the  Ameri- 
can Protestant  Episcopalians,  has  in  the  centre  of  the 
city  a  pagoda  viewed  with  much  favour  by  the  people 
as  being  on  the  Dragon's  Heart  and  improving  the  good 
luck  of  the  city.  It  certainly  is  in  a  most  desirable  spot, 
gives  a  fine  view  of  the  whole  town,  and  is  an  admirable 
place  for  afternoon  tea.  As  it  stands  on  Two  Bachelor 
Alley — bachelors  being  a  species  very  rare  in  China — 
it  is  appropriately  given  over  to  the  women,  who  have 
four  blocks  of  buildings  in  the  same  enclosure.  There 
also  is  to  arise  a  handsome  church,  adjoining  the  temple 
of  the  City  God. 

'The  headquarters  of  this  mission  are  close  to  the 
wall  on  the  north,  where  we  end  our  tour,  alongside  a 
fine  new  government  school.  Here  they  own,  or  have 
secured  options  on,  about  fifteen  acres,  but  one  desirable 
plot  is  owned  by  a  Naboth  who  refuses  to  part  with 
the  lucky  spot  on  which  he  was  born.  Fronting  the 
main  street  is  a  dispensary,  and  behind  it  are  fine  twin 
hospitals  for  men  and  women,  where  a  Chinese  lady 
doctor  has  charge  of  the  female  department;  some  20,- 
000  patients  come  here  every  year,  as  it  is  the  only 
such  establishment  for  a  district  some  two  hundred 
miles  square,  with  five  millions  of  people.  At  the 
rear,  close  to  the  wall,  and  open  to  the  inspection  of 
soldiers  in  the  new  guard-house,  is  a  four-story  brick 
building,  a  fine  high  school  for  boys,  who  come  from 
the  primary  schools  in  the  city  and  country  and  are  pre- 
pared for  a  related  college  at  Wuchang  and  a  univer- 
sity at  Shanghai.  So  excellent  is  this  school  that  some 
government  officials  prefer  it  to  the  public  schools,  and 
its  accommodation  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  seems 
likely  to  be  taken  up  at  once.  In  another  corner  on 
the  main  street  is  the  only  girls'  school  of  the  city,  able 
to  hold  sixty  boarders  and  accomplishing  results  among 
the   Christians  and  others  of  the  higher  classes;   its 


BYEK  JUMPItTO  IK  THE  YELLOW  BIVKS  WON't   WASH  HIM  OLBAN 

alumnse  find  ready  posts  as  teachers  and  nurses.  In 
the  centre  is  a  handsome  new  cruciform  church  to  seat 
six  hundred,  intended  specially  as  a  school  chapel. 
Various  residences  are  dotted  about  the  campus,  and  it 
is  found  that  the  native  professors  expect  to  be  treated 
and  housed  on  an  equal  footing  with  their  foreign  col- 
leagues. Just  outside  is  the  home  of  Mr.  Tseng,  a 
most  obliging  and  scholarly  deacon,  who  occupies  a 
semi-modern  two-story  building. 

Is  our  walk  a  parable — ^to  begin  with  human  nature, 
brutish  and  criminal,  at  the  execution  ground,  and 
end  with  the  most  humanising  institutions  in  the  city? 

PART  II.— THE  PRECIOUS  TOWER  OF  ANKING 

Outside  the  Eastern  Gate  is  the  Pride  of  Anking, 
the  Great  Pagoda,  which  since  the  destruction  of  the 
porcelain  one  at  Nanking  is  incontestably  the  finest  in 
the  Yangtze  valley — at  least  so  river  skippers  told  me. 
Seven  stories  high  it  rises,  and  each  level  is  defined  by 
a  row  of  small  bells  hanging  outside,  tinkled  by  every 
passing  breeze.  In  its  grounds  stands  a  temple  called 
Welcome  the  River.  This  king  of  pagodas  is  kept  in 
excellent  repair.  Its  official  title  is  Chen  Feng,  Wind- 
moved;  if  it  really  sways  with  the  wind,  it  might  be 
turned  into  an  admirable  seismological  observatory, 
where  every  earth-tremor  would  be  magnified  at  the 
summit.  As  it  is,  or  is  reputed  to  be,  so  elastic,  no 
heavy  bell  is  swung  aloft.  In  the  temple,  however,  one 
is  suspended,  with  a  rod  pendulous  alongside;  the  monk 
on  duty  strikes  this,  and  the  boom  re-echoes  among  the 
timbers  of  the  roof,  awaking  the  gods  and  soothing  the 
worshipper;  as  the  sound  dies  away,  another  stroke 
carries  on  the  strain,  and  so  there  is  perpetual  prayer. 
To  this  a  short  ode  alludes : 


216  THE  PRECIOUS  TOWER  OF  ANKING 

"  Confusion  and  hubbub  on  the  banks  of  the  Great  River, 

Carts  and  horses  abound.     Temple  doors  stand  erect. 

Bowing  to  mountains  and  rivers.     Flowers  and  grass  cover  the  steps. 

Silent  is  the  incense-stand.     As  the  rod  strikes  the  bell. 

Silent  too  the  water." 

Here  is  a  native  description  of  an  ascent ;  notice  the 
highly  zoological  comparison  of  the  spiral  staircase : 

"  To  admire  the  good  scenery  I  pleasantly  and  quickly  ascend. 

Let  me  ask  the  monks  of  the  temple  about  the  past  and  the  present. 

The  green  moimtains  on  either  bank  open  a  book  of  pictures; 

The  half  of  the  river  tinted  green  ruffles  my  poetical  spirit. 

To  penetrate  the  skies,  I  mean  to  ride  the  golden  dragon. 

Enjoying  the  moon,  I  caught  the  hare.* 

Ascend  another  story;  the  universe  seems  small. 

A  myriad  measures  further  and  the  Roc's  journey  is  surpassed. 

The  way  is  like  the  sheep's  intestines,  the  path  is  like  the  snail. 

The  thousand  turns  demand  help  at  your  hands. 

Story  by  story,  strangers  try  and  write  lines; 

Step  by  step,  what  tourist  but  would  chant  a  stave? 

The  lofty  tower  pierces  space,  it  points  like  a  pen. 

The  flying  boats  weave  the  waters  like  shuttles; 

Leaning  on  the  balcony,  I  try  to  note  the  swallow's  flight; 

How  far  is  it  to  the  palace  of  the  moon?  " 

As  this  effusion  tells  of  the  inscriptions  which  deco- 
rate the  pagoda,  the  graffiti  of  many  visitors,  after 
ascending  the  tower  myself  I  sent  Mr.  Hu  and  two 
assistants  to  copy  them.  They  came  back  with  one 
hundred  and  five,  a  few  of  which  were  cabalistic  and 
evidently  embodied  something  of  secret  society  lore, 
such  as  a  Freemason  will  leave  for  the  initiated  to  recog- 
nise.    Most  of  them  were  intelligible,  and,  to  the  credit 

•Much  legend  and  superstition  has  gathered  round  this  animal,  which 
has  for  many  centuries  been  associated  with  the  moon,  the  first  mention, 
being  in  the  poems  of  Ch'ii  P'ing,  fourth  century  b.c.  In  later  times  the 
hare  in  the  moon  was  believed  to  be  occupied  in  pounding  drugs  for  the 
elixir  of  life,  and  is  frequently  so  depicted.  (See  illustration  page  389.) 


THE    DUMB   CAN   TBLL   WHEN    THSTC  HAVE   EATEN 

of  the  Chinese  mind  or  of  the  proximity  of  the  temple 
or  of  the  purifying  influence  of  the  view,  not  one  was 
indecent.  Some  had  come  hoping  the  good  luck  would 
heal  them,  some  to  obtain  sanction  for  their  wishes.  Of 
course  the  greater  number  are  in  verse,  for  every  scholar 
aspires  to  be  a  poet.  A  sample  may  be  taken  from 
each  story,  beginning  with  the  lowest,  or  "  head  story  ": 


"On  all  sides  inscriptions  good  and  bad;  all  of  them  the  work 

of  fools. 
I  too,  a  fool,  scratch  my  scrawl,  for  I  too  am  clay  of  the  same  lump. 
(Signed)     ..  ^  ^^^  ^^^^  ^^^  Tungt'ing  Lake." 

II 

"  For  a  myriad  li  stretch   rivers   and  hills ; 
The  fount  of  poesy  brims  and  fills; 
Can  aught  this  earthly  dream  dispel  ? 
Yes,  I  hear  the  beat  of  the  bonze's  bell !  " 

Which  sends  us  to  Giles'  "  Chinese  Poetry  in  English 
Verse,"  where  we  read,  "  'Twixt  Heaven  and  Earth  ": 

"  Upon  this  tall  pagoda's  peak 

My  hands  can  nigh  the  stars  enclose; 
I  dare  not  raise  my  voice  to  speak. 
For  fear  of  startling  God's  repose." 

(Yang  I,  974-lOSO  a.d.) 

The  story  runs  that  as  a  child  the  poet  was  unable  to 
speak,  until  one  day,  being  carried  up  to  the  top  of  a 
pagoda,    he    burst    out    with    the    lines    in    the    text. 

So  far  as  signatures  tell,  this  from  the  second  story 
is  probably  the  only  one  by  an  educated  woman: 


218  THE  PRECIOUS  TOWER  OF  ANKING 

III 

"  In  the  court  of  this  old  shrine 
Grow  tall  trees  of  years  untold; 
Here  too  anchorites  recline. 

Free  from  care,  in  peace  grow  old." 

IV 

"  Like  a  pillar  in  the  midst  of  the  stream. 
It  has  stood  for  a  thousand  years; 
If  you  smile  that  I've  nothing  better  to  say. 
Wait  till  we  come  on  another  day." 


"  From  windows  high  I  gaze,  and  look  towards  this  spire. 
Through  all  these  shameful  days,  my  heart  glows  like  a  fire; 
The  foreign  devils  hate  my  kin,  and  in  their  train  they  lead  'em, 
When  will  my  people  rise  and  sing  the  battle-cry  of  freedom?" 

VI 

"  Many  a  hero  has  mounted  this  stair 
And  left  here  an  ode  we  may  read; 
Hills  are  eternal,  they  still  look  so  fair. 
For  men  of  the  past  our  hearts  bleed."  ° 

"  A  VIEW  FROM  AN  OLD  TOWER 

"  The  story  of  a  thousand  years 

In  one  brief  morning  lies  unrolled; 

Though  other  voices   greet   the  ears, 

'  Tis  still  the  moonlit  tower  of  old. 

"The  heroes  of  those  thousand  years? 
Alas,  like  running  water  gone! 
But  still  the  fever-blast  one  hears, 
And  still  the  plum-rain  patters  on. 

•"Twas  here  ambition  marched  sublime; 

An  empty  fame  scarce  marks  the  spot.  .  .  • 
Away! — for  I  will  never  climb 
To  see  flowers  bloom  and  man  forgot." 

•With  this  compare  the  following,  from  Giles'. 


*6 «  ® :?:  It  .i  «?  ^  ^  fil         «i« 

A  8MAKB  CANNOT  CBBBP   WITHOUT  A   HEAD- 

VII 

"  Tiny  bells  are  tinkling  as  they  hang  on  every  side. 
Cast  from  the  glowing  heaven. 
Earth  displays  the  shadow  of  pagoda,  Anking's  pride. 
To  make  you  smile. — John  Bevan." 

These  are  extempore  effusions  to  be  compared  only 
to  the  pencil  scrawls  on  the  Parthenon,  or  at  best  to  the 
panes  scratched  with  diamond  rings  in  Shakespeare's 
home.  But  the  temple  at  the  foot  has  a  couple  of  scrolls 
with  epigrams  which  are  of  high  merit;  they  certainly 
are  extremely  obscure,  which  is  an  attribute  of  much 
classic  poetry: 

"WELCOME   THE   RIVER   TEMPLE 

"  Before  my  face  are  seen  the  green  hills. 
And  we  think  of  the  three  thousand  worlds; 
The  cloudy  pathway  is  studded  with  peaks. 
And  the  level  earth  has  its  troubled  waves. 
I  have  come  in  the  Boat  of  Mercy 
And  climbed  to  perfect  vision." 

[Note. — Mercy's  Ferry-boat  is  a  figure  in  Buddhism  as  familiar  as 
Charon's  boat  on  the  river  Styx.  And  the  "  perfect  vision "  is  not  that 
of  the  outward  eye,  but  the  illumination  of  the  awakened  spirit.  Other- 
wise, the  writer  has  just  crossed  the  Great  River,  Yangtze,  and  likens 
the  ferry-boat  to  the  Ferry-boat  of  Mercy.  Then  he  has  climbed  the 
Great  Pagoda,  and  thinks  that  as  the  ascent  took  him  away  from  the 
noise  and  strife  of  the  world,  so  this  "  perfect  vision "  is  the  result  of 
holy  living,  and  hence  of  holy  thinking.] 

"The  river's  heart  is  crystal  clear; 
The  full  moon  seems  to  listen 
Td  the  eight  hundred  notes  of  Sanscript  prayers. 
While  the  frost-covered  bell  reflects  the  sky. 
Revealing  the  thread  of  destiny 
And  answering  the  longings  of  those 
Come  back  from  the  sea  of  bitterness." 


220  LOCAL  ANNALS 

[Note. — We  speak  of  the  eight  notes  of  the  gamut.*  "  Frost-covered" 
suggests  that  it  wtis  written  at  the  season  when  the  great  bell  was  covered 
with  sparkling  frost.  What  it  reflects  is  more  than  the  visible  firmament. 
"  The  thread  of  destiny "  suggests  the  familiar  image  of  Fate,  and  the 
concluding  words  describe  the  returning  penitent.] 

Highly  poetical — containing  plenty  of  Buddliist 
doctrine — fair  sample  of  the  higher-class  poetic  writ- 
ings for  scrolls,  much  prized  by  the  Celestials ! 

The  scene  which  presents  itself  to  the  visitor  from 
the  top  balcony  of  this  pagoda  when  the  city  of  Anking 
is  celebrating  the  Feast  of  Lanterns  commands  the 
admiration  of  the  beholder. 

PART  III.— LOCAL  ANNALS 

The  "  Victoria  History  "  of  England  has  its  proto- 
type in  the  official  annals  of  each  province.  A  literal 
translation  of  the  Introduction  to  those  of  Anhwei  is 
characteristic : 

"  My  sovereign  waves  his  golden  sceptre  over  a 
wide  realm,  and  nothing  escapes  his  view.  He 
has  bidden  the  provincial  authorities  without  excep- 
tion to  hand  up  maps  of  their  cities  and  districts ; 
not  that  he  desires  to  boast  of  the  extent  of  his 
domains,  but  because  he  desires  to  take  the  hills 
and  rivers  in  one  view,  to  understand  the  usages  of 
the  people  and  the  productions  of  their  lands ;  in  a 
word,  for  that  purpose  for  which  the  Holy  Kings 
of  old  used  to  make  a  progress  through  their  states. 

"  The  district  of  Anking  was  the  seat  of  a  lord- 
ship in  the  ancient  state  of  Wan^  [Anking  is 
officially  spoken  of  as  the  capital  of  Wan],  and 
Huai  ®  was  the  chief  city.     On  the  north  it  touched 

•There  were  originally  five  notes  in  the  gamut:  (1)  Kung;  (2) 
Shang;  (3)  Ohio;  (4)  Chi;  (5)  YU.  ITiese  were  afterwards  supplemented 
by  two  others,  making  seven  in  all. 

'Wan  is  rather  a  district  in  the  old  feudal  state  of  ChSi. 

•Huai-ning  is  the  modern  name  of  the  district  city  which  merges  in 
the  prefectural  city  of  Anking. 


A  i«  PB  *  &  **> 

man's   MOCTH  18   BUT  TWO   BITS   Of  SKIN 

the  boundaries  of  Shansi,  on  the  south  of  the  king- 
dom of  Wu.  Is  it  not  to  be  regarded  as  a  barrier 
between  those  hostile  nations?  Its  capital,  Huai, 
has  rivers  and  lakes  on  three  sides,  like  sleeves  and 
belt,  while  a  hundred  children  of  the  Great  Dragon 
looked  up  to  it  with  complacent  hope  [i.e.,  a  hun- 
dred little  lakes  reflect  the  shadows  of  the  passing 
day]. 

"  Among  them  many  distinguished  men  have 
sought  retirement  and  have  passed  their  days  in 
peace.  The  soil  is  rich,  the  habits  of  the  people 
economical,  while  education  is  refined  and  morals 
cultivated — meaning  literally,  filial  sons,  kind 
brothers,  and  chaste  women  tread  on  one  another's 
heels  and  look  on  each  other's  shoulders. 

"  The  left  bank  of  the  river  has  always  been 
considered  easy  to  govern,  and  especially  has  this 
been  true  of  Huai-ning.  In  the  ante-Confucius 
period  this  region  was  called  Shu,  and  was  divided 
into  six  Hsien,  which  are  mentioned  in  the  [very 
ancient]  book  of  Tso-Ch'iu  Ming.®  In  the  time  of 
the  Warring  States,  the  days  of  Mencius,  this 
region  was  included  in  the  kingdom  of  Ch'u. 
Under  the  dynasty  of  Ch'in  it  was  in  the  depart- 
ment of  Kiukiang  ( Nine  Rivers ) .  Ch'in  Shih  Huang 
in  his  twenty-eighth  year  crossed  the  river  Hwai.  . 
.  .  The  history  of  the  Han  dynasty  states  that  the 
region  south  of  the  river  Hwai  formed  a  princi- 
pality named  Lii  kiang.  .  .  .  The  mountain  Chien 
Shan  was  then  called  Wan,  and  the  city  south  of 
it  was  called  Wanhsien.  ...  In  the  period  of 
the  Three  Kingdoms  it  belonged  to  the  kingdom 
of  Wu,  and  Sun  Ch'iian,  the  king,  included  it  in 

•  This  book,  which  is  really  a  commentary  on  Confucius'  "  Spring 
and  Autumn,"  or  "  History  of  the  Lu  State,"  probably  took  shape  toward 
the  end  of  the  fifth  century  b.c.  It  is  commonly  known  as  the  "  Tso 
Chuan,"  or  "Tso's  Commentary." 


222  LOCAL  ANNALS 

Wuchang.  .  .  .  Lin  Meng  made  an  attack  on 
the  city  of  Wan,  and  built  a  fortress  at  the  gate 
which  is  now  called  Ts'ung  Yang,  the  present  East 
Gate,  distant  about  two  li;  tradition  still  calls  it 
Lin  Meng's  Fort.  ...  In  the  Chin  dynasty,  it  was 
included  in  the  district  of  Sinyang;  under  the  Liang 
dynasty  part  was  made  the  principality  of  Poyang. 
Under  the  Ch'en  dynasty  it  was  again  made  a 
separate  district,  the  department  of  Anking  being 
divided  into  four.  A  garrison  was  sent  to  occupy 
the  place;  the  commander  of  the  north  collected 
the  population  of  the  counrty  around  and  enclosed 
them  in  fortifications  to  the  south  of  Wan.  Under 
the  Sui  dynasty  [founders  of  the  Third  Empire] 
it  was  called  Hsichow,  under  the  T'ang  dynasty 
it  was  called  T'ungan ;  the  name  was  then  changed 
to  Shengtang;  Huai-ning  was  separately  estab- 
lished as  the  city  of  Wan.  .  .  .  The  city  was  built 
on  the  north  bank  of  the  river  Wan.  .  .  .  To  the 
present  time  moat  and  walls  remain,  the  ruins  still 
to  be  traced.  .  .  .  The  city  called  Wanyang  was  30 
li  to  the  north  of  the  present  site,  and  is  now  called 
Shenkou.  Near  it  is  a  trace  of  a  wall  said  to  be 
that  of  the  city  Prince's  Bath,  where  an  heir  to  the 
throne  was  born.  When  the  Third  Empire  broke 
up,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Sung  dynasty,  it  was 
called  T'ungan,  and  the  copper  coins  were  minted 
there  bearing  that  name;  afterwards  it  was  called 
the  Anking  Garrison.  Under  the  Yiian  dynasty 
[of  Mongols]  it  became  the  Anking  Circuit;  at  the 
beginning  of  the  Ming  dynasty  it  was  changed  to 
Ningkiang,  but  later  reverted  to  the  old  name  of 
Anking,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  Manchu  or 
present  dynasty  the  old  names  were  retained." 

That  is  to  say,  this  district  has  been  bandied  to  and  i 
fro  between  rival  princes,  its  boundaries  have  often  " 
been  changed,  and  the  city  is  comparatively  modern. 


*  «  SL  S  -f^  jR  22S 


PAINTBO    WATJCB   HAS   NO    WIND 


But  if  the  political  history  is  obscure  and  unimportant, 
two  things  are  tolerably  stable,  the  agriculture  and 
products. 

In  the  way  of  edibles,  two  tilings  are  proverbial, 
Ts'ung  Yang  bean  curd  and  Tung  Cheng  oil  twists; 
these  local  productions  are  held  in  repute  from  days  of 
old.  Of  live  stock,  cows,  sheep,  dogs,  and  pigs  are 
raised  by  every  family.  Pigs  are  the  special  pets  of 
women  and  children,  and  are  fattened  to  tide  over  the 
expense  at  the  end  of  the  year,  "  for  oil  and  wood."  If 
the  Irish  call  them  "  The  gentlemen  that  pay  the  rent," 
the  Ankingese  are  equally  clear  that  no  family  can 
prosper  without  a  pig. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  recalled  that  the  Chinese 
character  for  "  home  "  (^ )  is  a  suggestive  compound 
consisting  of  a  *'  pig  "(^),  under  a  "  roof  "  (♦^).  This 
is  one  of  the  small  class  of  characters  I  alluded  to  pre- 
viously, which  can  properly  be  termed  "  ideographs." 

Of  grains  there  are  a  hundred  kinds.  Yangchow 
is  especially  famed  for  its  rice,  one  sort  glutinous,  the 
other  not.  Early  rice  comes  from  Kiangsi,  white  rice 
from  Hupeh.  A  yellow  rice  is  ready  for  the  table  in 
two  moons,  and  is  therefore  called  "  sixty  day  " ;  another 
kind  is  described  as  "  devil's  rice."  Suining  provides  a 
dwarf  late  rice ;  other  kinds  are  called  willow  rice,  from 
the  shape,  and  hemp  rice,  from  the  colour.  One  species 
with  a  plump  round  grain  is  known  as  "  Buddha's  belly." 

Of  celebrated  men  there  are  many  anecdotes,  but 
most  of  them  seem  to  relate  to  the  recent  times,  the 
Chinese  dynasty  between  the  Mongols  and  the 
Manchus. 

In  the  last  reign  of  the  Mings  at  Anking,  there  was 
a  poor  young  man  by  the  name  of  Wang  who  had  mar- 
ried into  a  very  rich  family.  There  were  two  other 
sons-in-law,  both  rich,  and  he  alone  was  poor.    A  grand- 


224  LOCAL  ANNALS 

son  being  born,  the  father-in-law  on  the  third  day  sus- 
pended a  bow  in  the  hall,  and  according  to  usage  invited 
many  guests  to  a  festive  gathering.  Many  of  them 
brought  presents.  Wang's  present  was  insignificant, 
and  his  clothing  was  in  rags.  His  father-in-law  was 
ashamed  of  him,  and  declined  to  place  him  alongside 
of  his  other  sons-in-law,  ordering  that  the  food  for  his 
entertainment  should  be  given  him  in  a  rear  apart- 
ment. When  the  feast  and  revelry  were  going  on, 
Wang  had  no  part  in  them.  His  mother-in-law,  how- 
ever, took  pity  on  him,  and  ordered  that  a  feast  should 
be  spread  for  him  on  an  upper  balcony.  A  bowl  of 
millet  soup  was  sent  up  to  him,  but  the  chop-sticks  had 
been  forgotten.  The  mother-in-law,  who  was  there  on 
the  balcony  with  him,  plucked  the  hair-pins  from  her 
own  head  and  handed  them  to  him  to  use  instead  of 
chop-sticks.  Going  away  to  meet  the  other  guests,  she 
left  him  alone.  Enraged  at  such  treatment,  he  ate 
only  half  the  bowl  of  porridge,  then  left  the  house. 
The  next  day  his  wife's  brother  looked  him  up  and  asked 
him  to  return  the  golden  hair-pins.  Wang,  being  sus- 
pected of  having  stolen  them,  offered  to  go  in  company 
to  the  temple  of  the  City  God  to  purge  himself  with  an 
oath.  On  entering  the  gate  he  stumbled  and  fell,  bruis- 
ing his  head  so  that  the  blood  flowed  freely ;  and  all  the 
by-standers  said,  "  Why  take  an  oath,  since  the  god  has 
already  inflicted  condign  punishment  on  a  dishonest 
man? "  Wang  had  no  resort  but  to  leave  the  place, 
taking  up  his  abode  in  the  Imperial  capital.  Here  he 
obtained  the  rank  of  Chuang  Yiian,**^  winning  the  high- 
est laurels  of  the  Empire,  and  obtaining  high  office 
along  with   this   great   distinction.     He   returned   to 

*• "  Chuang  YUan "  corresponds  somewhat  to  the  Cambridge  Senior 
Wrangler  (now  extinct),  as  being  the  first  man  of  his  year  in  the  whole 
Empire.  Very  little  account,  on  the  other  hand,  is  made  of  the  military 
examinations — or  was,  until  a  year  or  two  ago. 


YOD  can't   KAT  hot  BUOTU    IN'   A   UITBRT,   OK  BKAR  A   STOBT    OH 
HOBSEBACK 

Anking  and  called  for  his  wife's  relations;  said  he,  "  I 
have  come  this  time  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  settle 
my  accounts  with  the  City  God.  He,  the  City  God, 
has  accused  an  honest  man  of  being  a  thief ;  how  can  he 
any  longer  wear  the  title  of  '  Wise  and  Just '?  I  intend 
to  collect  a  crowd  and  punish  him  for  it."  That  very 
night  he  and  his  wife's  parents  had  a  dream  in  which 
they  were  told  to  open  the  shrine  behind  the  idol.  On 
opening  it  they  found  there  the  long  missing  hair-pins. 
Thus  not  only  did  the  clever  god  escape  the  threatened 
calamity,  but  the  long  pending  strife  between  the  two 
branches  of  the  family  was  happily  settled,  and  the 
stain  on  the  name  of  "  Laurel-bearing  Champion  "  was 
forever  removed. 

Two  of  the  twenty-eight  books  of  Annals  are  taken 
up  with  the  names  of  women  who  sacrificed  their  lives 
to  preserve  their  chastity  or  restore  their  good  repute. 
A  new  edition  of  the  Annals  is  in  progress,  even  as  the 
"  Encyclopaedia  Britannica "  is  re-edited  every  few 
years,  and  it  is  remarkable  that  many  of  these  tales  are 
disappearing.  It  is  not  clear  whether  chastity  is  less 
esteemed  or  suicide  is  more  discouraged,  or  whether 
other  womanly  virtues  are  felt  to  demand  equal  recog- 
nition. It  is  a  melancholy  fact  that  from  the  days  of 
Sisera  to  the  days  of  the  French  and  Russians  in  Peking 
after  the  Boxer  rising  nothing  has  been  expected  after 
the  storming  of  a  city  but  the  slaughter  of  all  men,  the 
plunder  of  all  property,  and  the  ill-treatment  of  all 
women.^^  Here  are  three  instances,  taken  from  the 
agony  in  which  the  Ming  dynasty  succumbed  to  the 
Manchus : 

^^  According  to  Li  Ch'iian,  a  T'ang  dynasty  commentator  on  Sun 
Tzu,  "  The  march  of  the  Han  Emperor  Kao  Tzu  into  Ch'in  territory  was 
marlied  by  no  violation  of  woman  or  looting  of  valuables." 

15 


226  LOCAL  ANNALS 

Ch'en  Shih  ^^  was  the  wife  of  a  petty  official  in  the 
reign  of  Cli'ung  Cheng,  the  last  of  the  Mings,  both  of 
whom  were  captured  by  roving  bandits.  The  robbers 
raised  their  swords  to  slay  him,  but  she  flung  herself 
in  front;  four  of  her  fingers  were  cut  off,  and  she  was 
left  for  dead.  The  garrison  of  Wan  revolted,  fired  the 
city,  and  plundered  the  storehouses.  Liu  Shih,  sepa- 
rated from  her  husband  Yen  Su,  threw  herself  into  a 
boat,  but  seeing  her  relatives  trying  to  escape  she  dared 
not  take  the  risk,  so  plunged  into  the  river  and  drowned 
herself.  When  the  city  of  Anking  was  captured,  the 
family  of  Su  Shih  hid  in  the  Imperial  granary.  Rob- 
bers discovered  them,  and  killed  a  maid.  Mrs.  Su 
smeared  the  blood  over  her  own  face  to  make  herself 
ugly  and  elude  the  lust  of  the  robbers ;  then  she  seated 
herself  by  a  well,  ready  to  throw  herself  in.  Seeing  her 
father  and  mother-in-law  in  the  hands  of  the  robbers, 
she  took  jewels  from  her  ears  as  ransom,  and  on  this 
being  refused  she  heaped  invectives  on  them,  whereupon 
they  cut  her  to  pieces. 

On  the  south  there  is  a  mountain  called  Hoshang, 
"  Buddhist  monk,"  as  bare  of  vegetation  as  a  monk's 
head  is  of  hair.  The  name  is  no  longer  especially 
appropriate,  for  most  hills  are  equally  bare  now;  but 
then,  since  the  old  proverb,  "If  you  are  not  a  Buddhist 
monk,  you  don't  catch  cold,"^^  the  Manchus  have  com- 
pelled all  men  to  shave  their  heads.  However,  this 
particular  hill  derives  its  name  from  a  monk  named 
Yang  who  in  a  long  drought  prayed  for  rain,  which 
came  at  once.     On  a  later  occasion  he  prepared  a  great 

""Shih"  here  only  means  "Mrs." 

"The  Chinese  have  several  facetious  sayings  in  reference  to  the 
monk's  bald  head,   for  example: 

"  A  priest  is  only  a  thief  with  a  bald  head." 

"Like  bald-headed  men  becoming  priests ">— they  are  ready-made 
articles. 

"Like  putting  an  olive  on  a  priest's  head" — a  difficult  feat  to 
accomplish. 


ON  THB  JAIL  OATI  AUK  FODK  WOBDS  :    '*  TOU    RKPKST   TOO   LATE  ** 

heap  of  wood,  and  bade  them  burn  him  if  the  rain  did 
not  come.  It  did  not,  but  three  streams  of  fire  and 
smoke  burst  from  his  body  and  consumed  all.  Hence 
the  mountain  was  named  after  him. 

Among  the  distinguished  scholars  is  to  be  noted 
Fungking,  who  studied  at  the  Hill  of  Ten  Thousand 
Pines ;  he  graduated  as  first  at  the  pref ectural,  the  pro- 
vincial, and  the  Imperial  examinations.  A  court 
eunuch  obtained  an  order  that  he  should  choose  a  wife 
from  the  eunuch's  family,  but  he  declined,  and  married 
a  daughter  of  the  royal  duke  Wen  Chung,  who  evi- 
dently appreciated  both  his  ability  and  his  moral  cour- 
age. He  became  a  Hanlin,  and  as  censor  was  most 
faithful  in  pointing  out  the  errors  of  the  administration. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  Annals  contain  nothing 
marking  any  real  progress;  these  tales  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  would  be  in  perfect  keeping  with  the 
days  of  Ch'in,  two  thousand  years  earlier.  There  is 
another  section  of  the  Annals,  dealing  not  with  facts 
but  with  ideas;  poetry  is  largely  independent  of  time 
and  place.  Some  of  the  Anking  poems  have  been 
selected  with  care,  and  the  only  peculiarity  to  be  borne 
in  mind  is  that  a  fine  poem  often  opened  the  way  to  high 
office. 

Begin  with  verses  by  W^n  T'ien  Chiang,  a  minister 
of  Sung: 

"  Amid  wind  and  rain  I  pass  a  second  time  by  Ichien ; 

When  I  come,  my  hair  whitens  again. 

Strategic  points  are  these  on  the  Long  River, 

But  where  are  the  men  of  the  Central  Kingdom? 

Descendants    are    here   of   the   wicked    and   barbarous    [Tatars] ; 

Mighty  fish  stiffen  their  angry  scales ; 

Stopping  here,  I  do  not  care  to  go  ashore; 

I  refrain  from  seeing  the  remnant  of  the  people." 


228  LOCAL  ANNALS 

Under  the  Mongols,  or  Yiian  dynasty,  Ch'en  Shih- 
ssu  wrote  the  following  ode : 

"  Anchoring  at  night  in  the  region  of  west  Hwei, 
Hoar-frost  gathers  on  the  traveller's  robe; 
On  the  bank  the  door  of  the  wine-shop  is  shut. 
Beyond  the  river  the  rebels  consume  like  bush  fire; 
Their  cloud  passed  loyalists  rise  like  the  moon. 
The  wind  abates,  the  waves  die  down; 
The  former  paths  beneath  the  city  wall 
Lead  once  more  to  the  southern  home."  * 

Many  of  these  verses  abound  in  allusions  which  are 
hard  to  recognise,  yet  which  constitute  their  beauty. 
To  render  them  into  English  prose  is  to  evaporate  their 
delicate  hues;  but  to  attempt  verse  is  to  misplace  the 
emphasis  and  to  lose  the  terseness  of  the  original.  An 
octave  by  Li  Hsien-fang  may,  however,  be  imitated: 

"  Clear  is  the  shining  after  the  shower. 

Ripple  the  waves  like  the  scales  of  a  trout. 
Banks,  as  they  wind,  every  village  embower. 

Clouds  and  sea  blend  as  the  current  runs  out. 
Fish  and  rice  bought  from  a  marketing  boat 

We  can  have  cooked  on  this  city  afloat. 
Such  are  their  ways:  if  to  live  you  would  know. 

Empty  the  view,  they  no  counsel  bestow." 

•  So  long  occuped  by  the  rival  Sung  dynasty. 


X 

NANCHANG 

PART  I.— LAKE  AND  LADIES 

KiANGSi  is  a  watery  province.  From  the  Yangtze 
there  is  no  trouble  in  reaching  Lake  Poyang,  which  in 
shape  resembles  an  angry  cat.  Into  the  Poj^^ang 
empty  streams  from  the  east  and  south  and  west,  and 
the  hills  where  they  rise  form  the  boundaries  of  this 
province.  From  the  south  most  combine  into  the 
Kankiang,  which  below  Nanchang  opens  out  into  an 
intricate  delta  before  it  empties  into  Poyang.  There- 
fore there  is  much  water-carriage,  by  sampan  and  junk, 
by  launch  and  steamer.  Spice  is  added  to  many  a 
journey  by  the  possibility  that  the  channel  will  suddenly 
shallow.  So  at  some  seasons,  especially  at  the  New 
Year,  placards  are  posted  on  the  vessels'  prows: 

"  In  the  Five  Lakes  and  in  the  Four  Seas, 
Let  this  boat  travel  wherever  it  please! 
Round  the  Nine  Corners,  round  the  Three  Bends, 
Let  the  oar  swing  without  any  rends." 

A  Chinese  steamer  had  the  privilege  of  conveying 
our  caravan,  and  we  had  the  privilege  of  paying  for  the 
whole  saloon  to  ourselves.  It  afforded  a  dry  chamber, 
no  small  boon  in  a  province  where,  to  keep  the  channels 
full,  the  rain  comes  dov/n  day  after  day,  and  all  day. 
Mutual  interest  was  aroused:  the  strange  foreigner 
with  his  wonderful  machines ;  the  father  and  son  letting 
off  crackers  over  a  grave,  the  painted  young  lady  peer- 
ing in  at  the  window,  the  boys  and  girls  playing  on  the 
deck,  the  tightly  wedged  opium-smokers.     The  Chinese 

229 


230  LAKE  AND  LADIES 

navigators  ought  to  make  a  reputation  for  daring;  the 
vessel  was  probably  classed  Zl  ,000,000,  or  whatever  is 
furthest  from  Al,  before  it  was  sold  as  old  junk,  but  it 
was  run  cheerfully  till  the  coal  gave  out  and  a  boat  had 
to  go  for  more  or  till  it  ran  into  the  bank.  The  value 
of  a  foreign  life  was  gracefully  acknowledged  by  nine 
life-preserving  cork- jackets  placed  in  the  saloon.  Was 
it  not  on  the  Mississippi  that  when  the  race  developed 
to  the  point  of  piling  a  nigger  on  the  safety-valve,  all 
passengers  who  had  paid  their  fares  were  tenderly 
assisted  to  good  places  near  the  boats? 

The  lake  was  full,  as  is  only  fair  after  days  of 
downpour,  and  the  steamer  was  warranted  to  steam  all 
night.  But  at  times  the  water  runs  short  and  develops 
a  large  series  of  mud  flats.*  The  popular  trust  in  its 
idiosyncrasies  is  such  that  the  proverb  runs,  "  Cross  the 
Poyang?  Take  one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of 
rice," — to  guard  against  starvation  by  the  way.  Be- 
sides providing  water-ways,  it  breeds  good  whitefish,  of 
which  we  tasted  excellent  samples.  The  very  people 
learn  to  become  amphibious,  and  work  unconcernedly 
with  water  to  right  of  them,  water  to  left  of  them,  water 
beneath  them,  and  water  pouring  down  upon  them.  It 
keeps  them  beautifully  clean,  but  we  are  not  surprised 
to  hear  of  much  pulmonary  disease. 

The  Brethren  have  found  an  appropriate  field  for 
their  labours  here,  one  of  their  Christian  Missions  in 
Many  Lands.  We  had  the  good  fortune  to  attend  one  of 
their  special  diets  of  worship,  which  began  with  an  evan- 
gelistic service  conducted  by  a  tall,  lean  native,  helped 
by  an  organ,  armour-plated  with  sheet-iron  against 
damp  and  ants.  When  the  time  came  for  baptism, 
Mr.  Price  took  charge;  perhaps  in  the  local  circum- 
stances there  may  be  some  reason  for  this,  but  the 
apostle  Paul  said  his  business  was  to  preach  the  Gospel, 

*The  southern  part  is  said  to  contain  deep  portions. 


BJtTTBR  ADO   A   MBA8DRK   THAV   ADO  A   MODTB 


231 


Nanchang  means  "  Splendour  of  the  South." 


232  LAKE  AND  LADIES 

not  to  baptise,  a  work  which  he  usually  delegated  to 
others,  exactly  as  Peter  and  his  Lord  had  done.  Why 
should  the  Chinese  be  led  to  think  baptism  is  so  special 
that  the  head  man  alone  can  perform  it?  The  service 
was  certainly  attractive,  and  a  heathen  lad  came  push- 
ing his  way  to  the  front  that  he  might  watch  the  hot 
water  being  poured  into  the  baptistery. 

There  was  something  rather  more  surprising  to 
native  ideas.  The  women  were  baptised  first,  a  Chinese 
deacon  announcing  their  names  one  by  one,  amid 
respectful  silence;  last  of  them  came  the  fair  daughter 
of  the  foreigner.  Here  were  matters  to  think  over — 
the  foreigner  polite  enough  to  put  Chinese  first,  but 
also  putting  women  first!  What  about  our  Western 
etiquette  here?  What  is  our  reason,  and  is  it  good 
enough  to  override  the  Chinese?  We  read  that  Adam 
came  before  Eve,  and  there  is  no  example  even  in  the 
Bible  of  women  being  given  the  first  place,  while  there 
are  many  examples  there  to  the  contrary.  If  we  look 
at  principles,  we  find  such  as:  First  the  natural,  then 
the  spiritual;  keep  the  good  to  the  last  is  not  all  the 
reason  of  putting  mere  men  to  the  front,  and  reserving 
ladies  for  the  post  of  honour  afterwards  as  in  the  navy  I 
It  is  somewhat  to  be  doubted  whether  it  is  wise  to  reverse 
Chinese  notions  without  a  strong  and  definite  reason 
that  is  often  clearly  explained  and  will  stand  examina- 
tion. Plenty  of  singing  took  place  while  a  few  changes 
were  made,  and  then  four  men  were  baptised,  and  that 
too  in  the  same  water  that  had  been  used  already  for 
the  women!     More  amazement  for  the  Chinese! 

Yet  there  is  one  instance  on  a  large  scale  in  this 
province  of  how  ancient  prejudices  can  be  defied  with 
success.  For  women  to  travel  alone  is  rare ;  for  unmar- 
ried women  to  live  alone  is  almost  indecent.  But  there 
was  a  large  district  where  no  male  missionary  could  get 
a  foothold  at  all,  and  some  brave  women  determined 


tV  YOV   WANT  TO  BRSAK   OFF  DUINK  :    X,OOK  AT  A  DKDNKEN    HAK 

to  try.  To-day  there  is  a  whole  chain  of  stations 
occupied  only  by  women,  who  have  conquered  the 
antipathy  and  are  doing  good  work.  And  so  Kiangsi 
presents  the  curious  spectacle  of  a  province  where  the 
single  ladies  far  outnumber  the  men. 

This  was  the  first  baptismal  service  we  had  seen  in 
China;  there  was  no  departure  here  from  the  original. 
There  is  a  great  talk  now  of  union  among  Christian 
bodies,  especially  in  the  mission  field,  and  a  general 
acknowledgment  that  no  arbitrary  differences  should  be 
allowed  to  obscure  the  great  agreement.  To-day  there 
is  a  most  general  union  among  all  scholars  as  to  what 
baptism  was  when  our  Lord  adopted  it  and  ordered  it. 
Now  what  a  pity  it  is  that  when  Christian  scholars 
are  so  thoroughly  agreed  as  to  what  baptism  was,  when 
many  of  them  belong  to  churches  which  permit  it,  when 
there  is  no  local  reason  against  it,  that  they  talk  about 
union  and  exhibit  disunion!  "  Union  "  too  often  means 
that  everybody  else  is  to  change  his  mind  and  unite 
with  the  speaker.  Why  not  try  this  rite,  so  simple  and 
so  expressive,  as  an  instance  where  needless  and 
puzzling  variety  can  disappear? 

PART  II.— PORCELAIN,  POPE,  AND  OTHER  PRODUCTS 

Kingtehchen  is  the  seat  of  a  porcelain  manufacture 
far  more  celebrated  than  Dresden  or  Sevres.  In  the 
rebellions  the  town  was  wrecked  and  the  workmen  were 
dispersed,  but  when  peace  was  restored,  back  they 
drifted  and  revived  the  industry,  though  not  on  the  scale 
that  once  obtained,  when  the  daily  consumption  was 
"  one  thousand  pigs  and  seven  thousand  tons  of  rice." 

The  famous  factory  was  founded  by  the  Emperor 
Ch^n  Tsung  in  the  period  Ching-te  (1004—1007  a.d.), 
from  which  its  name  was  taken.    It  became  the  great- 


234  PORCELAIN,  POPE,  AND  OTHER  PRODUCTS 

est  ceramic  centre  in  the  world,  and  nearly  all  the  fine 
Chinese  porcelain  known  in  Europe  has  come  from  its 
kilns.  At  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century,  in 
the  reign  of  K'ang  Hsi,  it  contained  the  stupendous 
number  of  three  thousand  kilns  and  harboured  a  million 
souls.  The  Jesuit  missionary,  D'EntrecoUes,  describes 
its  appearance  at  night  as  that  of  a  burning  city.  Com- 
pare Longfellow's  '*  Keramos:'* 

"  And  bird-like  poise  on  balanced  wing 
Above  the  town  of  King-te-tching, 
A  burning  town,  or  seeming  so — 
Three  thousand  furnaces  that  glow 
Incessantly,  and  fill  the  air 
With  smoke  uprising,  gyre  on  gyre. 
And  painted  by  the  lurid  glare 
Of  jets  and  flashes  of  red  fire." 

At  Kingtehchen  clay  abounds,  and  brushwood 
from  the  neighboring  hills  supplies  excellent  charcoal 
for  firing  the  kilns.  So  delicate  is  the  work  that  dif- 
ferent woods  are  used  for  diiFerent  wares.  The  "  egg- 
shell '*  so  favoured  in  Western  lands  finds  little  favour 
among  Chinese.  Design  and  colouring  determine  the 
value  among  these  artists.  The  year's  work  begins 
about  the  third  moon  of  the  year,  when  commercial 
travellers  from  all  over  the  land  gather  here  with  the 
new  patterns.  If  this  idea  of  new  designs — as  though 
pottery  were  blouses — seem  revolutionary  to  our  ideas, 
we  are  reassured  to  know  that  the  potters  are  too  con- 
servative to  allow  any  one  in  their  town.  Deserted  it 
may  have  been  for  three  or  four  moons,  but  now  they 
come  back  from  their  winter  sojourn  on  the  hills,  and 
compel  the  travellers  to  stay  in  inns  or  guild-houses 
across  the  river.  When  the  new  patterns  are  selected, 
work  is  begun. 


THE  UAN    WITH   MONKT  SPKAKS  TUB  TBUTK 

Moulding  is  done  in  one  part  of  the  town,  and  by 
daj^light,  but  the  biscuit  is  taken  to  another  part  for 
further  processes.  They  say  that  there  is  greater  quiet 
on  the  streets  after  dark,  and  that  this  favours  the 
artistic  temperament  and  conduces  to  a  restful  piece  of 
work.  They  dislike  any  porcelain  that  shows  "  fire  " 
in  it,  and  think  the  painter  must  be  calm  and  undis- 
turbed. So  each  studio  is  small,  lest  the  artist  should 
be  annoyed  by  companions;  and  the  studios  abound  in 
the  town.  The  kilns  are  attended  by  a  rougher  class, 
often  hundreds  employed  at  one  furnace,  and  they  herd 
together  in  lodging-houses  with  the  mere  potters. 
Often  a  fireman  will  load  up  a  board  five  feet  long  and 
a  few  inches  wide  with  three  or  four  dozen  bowls  to  be 
carried  to  the  kiln ;  if  on  his  trot  along  the  crowded  alley 
he  meets  another,  great  is  likely  to  be  the  catastrophe 
and  wild  the  fight  that  will  ensue.  The  artists,  of 
course,  hold  themselves  aloof  from  these  carriers  and 
all  the  lower  class,  living  by  ones  or  twos  with  their 
apprentices.  But  in  their  solitude  they  easily  suc- 
cumbed to  the  insidious  temptation  of  opium,  so  that 
there  were  more  than  a  thousand  dens  open  when  the 
recent  crusade  began,  and  the  misery  in  the  city  was 
often  intense. 

One  special  section  was  given  over  to  porcelain  for 
the  Imperial  Court.  A  kind  of  Imperial  insignia  was 
the  dragon  with  five  claws,  and  this  was  forbidden  to 
the  ordinary  worker  or  owner.  But  a  foreign  demand 
arose,  and  though  the  authorised  makers  would  not  sup- 
ply it,  piracies  were  soon  on  the  market  from  other 
sources. 

With  a  population  of  this  kind,  women  are  scarce; 
they  are  not  trained  for  artistic  ends,  and  serve  only 
to  keep  the  lodging-houses.     The  general  effect  is  that 


236  PORCELAIN,  POPE,  AND  OTHER  PRODUCTS 

of  a  mining  camp,  migratory  and  rough,  with  the  one 
saving  element  of  the  artists.  Because  of  the  influx 
of  people  from  so  many  districts  many  strangers  try  to 
get  in,  but  the  precincts  are  jealously  guarded,  and  the 
reputation  for  clannishness  and  roughness  has  kept 
most  outsiders  outside. 

Missionary  Judd  tried  hard  to  obtain  entrance,  and 
did  get  so  far  as  an  inn  across  the  river,  whence  he 
preached  in  the  market  or  visited  the  commercial  men 
at  the  inns,  trying  all  the  time  to  rent  a  place,  despite 
the  warning  that  naught  would  avail  without  political 
influence.  His  first  step  was  to  hire  a  loft  over  a  char- 
coal warehouse;  but  one  man  set  himself  to  oppose  the 
invasion,  though  there  is  some  reason  to  think  that  a 
commission  on  the  rent  might  have  assuaged  his 
scruples.  Did  Mr.  Judd  hear  of  a  place  "  For  Sale," 
or  "  To  Let,"  by  the  time  he  got  there  no  placard  was  to 
be  seen,  and  he  was  told  that  it  was  disposed  of.  At 
last  a  bargain  was  struck,  the  deeds  were  prepared,  the 
feast  was  spread;  but  at  the  last  moment  a  flaw  was 
discovered  and  the  agent  refused  to  complete,  while  the 
missionary  fled  with  the  money  in  face  of  an  imminent 
risk.  Yet  in  the  end  the  opponent  was  outwitted;  Mr. 
Judd  heard  of  a  place,  but  had  to  walk  seven  hundred  li 
to  get  the  ready  cash  which  alone  would  be  accepted, 
and  a  foothold  was  obtained  in  this  exclusive  and  difli- 
cult  centre. 

The  headquarters  of  another  religion  are  at  Lung- 
hu  shan,  no  great  distance  off*.  The  Taoists  profess  in 
a  way  to  ground  their  religion  on  the  teachings  of  Lao 
Tzu,  who  would  probably  be  much  surprised  to  see 
what  has  come  over  them.  But  in  practice  the  Taoists 
serve  priests,  governed  by  bishops  who  are  invested  by 
a  Pope.  And  he  lives  on  the  mountain  here.  From 
the  State  stand-point  he  is  the  head  of  the  religion,  and 
is    held    responsible    for    the    doings    of    his    people. 


Chang  Tien  Si,  The  Taoist  Pope. 

Taken  at  his  Yamen,  Shang  Ch'ing  Kong  about  200 
li  east  of  Nanchang. 


*  1^  tl  If  ^^ 


VIHK    IS    LTKB  AN   ABBOW 


Napoleon  found  it  so  useful  to  have  a  Catholic  Pope 
whom  he  could  bully,  and  thus  influence  Catholics,  that 
he  declared  he  would  have  had  to  invent  one  had  he  not 
existed  f  from  this  stand-point  a  Taoist  Pope  is  a  most 
useful  functionary,  and  is  duly  recognised.  From  the 
Church  stand-point  he  is  quite  an  imposing  person,  and 
gives  this  account  of  himself.  He  is  the  vicar  on  earth 
of  the  Pearly  Emperor  in  heaven,  and  has  control  of  all 
spirits.  By  charms  he  can  drive  away  demons,  by  the 
magic  sword  he  can  expel  them,  by  the  power  of  his 
spells  he  can  imprison  them;  and  as  guarantee  of  good 
faith  he  has  large  jars  full  of  them,  bottled  up  under  his 
magic  seal,  but  able  to  be  liberated  to  work  mischief  on 
those  who  thwart  him.  If  such  are  his  powers,  his 
genealogy  is  no  less  astonishing.  Chang  became  such 
an  ardent  follower  of  the  supreme  Shangti  that  he  was 
at  length  raised  to  the  gods  as  the  Pearly  Emperor. 
From  his  family  ever  since  has  the  Taoist  Pope  been 
named.  When  the  present  incumbent  has  fulfilled  his 
span  and  can  no  longer  gather  in  the  taels  of  his 
votaries,  a  procession  to  a  sacred  well  casts  in  a  piece 
of  iron,  and  when  it  floats  the  name  of  the  new  Pope  is 
inscribed  thereon. 

The  Taoist  "  Pope  "  is  known  in  Chinese  as  THen 
Shili,  "  Master  of  Heaven,"  or  "  Divine  Teacher."  In 
the  body  of  the  Taoist  Pope  is  supposed  to  reside  the 
soul  of  a  celebrated  Taoist,  Chang  Tao-ling,  who  lived 
an  extraordinary  long  life  on  this  earth  (34-156  a.d.), 
after  which  he  discovered  the  elixir  of  life  and  became 
forthwith  an  immortal.  At  his  death  the  precious  soul 
above-mentioned  will  take  up  its  abode  in  the  body  of 
some  youthful  member  of  the  family,  whose  name  is 
revealed  as  above  described. 

*  Somebody  said:  8i  le  bon  Dieu  n'existait  pas,  il  faudrait  I'invetUer." 


2S8  GATES  TO  THE  SOUTH 

Now  just  as  Saxony  is  noteworthy  for  her  Dresden 
porcelain  and  her  Martin  Luther,  so  Kiangsi  has  her 
really  exceptional  porcelain  and  Pope ;  but  the  province 
of  course  abounds  in  more  ordinary  products.  A  few 
of  the  rarer  are  worth  mentioning,  not  mere  rice  and 
wheat,  but  mustard  and  moss,  for  both  internal  and 
external  application;  quince  and  pomegranate;  rose- 
leaves  to  flavour  sugar  for  export;  grass  for  wicks  and 
for  cloth ;  all  sorts  of  medicinal  roots ;  furred  animals  in 
abundance,  tigers  occasionally  being  obliging  enough  to 
bring  their  pelts  to  market  at  Nanchang;  pelicans  and 
periwinkles,  and  all  sorts  of  fish  and  fowl.  But 
minerals  do  not  seem  to  form  any  staple  product  yet. 
Nor  is  this  exactly  necessary,  seeing  the  Taoists  claim 
to  be  able  to  turn  base  metals  into  gold  by  some  secret, 
uncanny,  and  magic  process,  a  mischievous  pursuit. 
We  are  reminded  of  Diocletian's  famous  edict:  *'  He 
caused  a  diligent  inquiry  to  be  made  for  all  the  ancient 
books  which  treated  of  the  admirable  art  of  making 
gold  and  silver,  and  without  pity  committed  them  to 
the  flames."  ^ 

PART  III.— OATES  TO  THE  SOUTH 

The  city  itself  is  placed  just  east  of  the  one  impor- 
tant river.  A  geomancer  was  consulted  a  thousand 
years  ago  as  to  its  location  and  form ;  he  advised  that  in 
a  watery  province  it  should  be  well  moored  to  one 
pagoda  in  the  north  and  one  in  the  south,  also  that  for 
Good  Luck  all  its  gates  should  open  to  the  south.  Con- 
sequently the  only  gate  at  all  on  the  north  is  hidden  in 
a  corner  and  masked  by  a  barbican  opening  westward, 
the  two  gates  on  the  east  and  the  two  on  the  west  are 
recessed  and  barbicaned  to  open  southward,  while  the 
real  South  Gate  presents  no  difficulty;  so  all  the  Fair 
Influences  from  the  south  find  ready  access  to  the  city. 

•Gibbon's  "Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empir^"  p.  277. 


■MTEB  TUB  IMM   BEFOBB   NIQHT 

The  place  is  well  watered  within,  three  lakes  being 
a  conspicuous  feature  in  the  centre.  The  walls  are 
watched  by  sentries,  and  every  one  passing  through  the 
gates  is  well  scrutinised.  A  large  parade-ground  on 
the  east  marks  the  centre  of  the  military  element.  Per- 
haps Good  Luck  is  equally  well  assured  and  an  even  bet- 
ter garrison  provided  by  the  Methodist  schools  on  the 
north  and  east,  the  Brethren  on  the  west,  and  the  China 
Inland  Mission  on  the  south.  None  too  strong  a  force, 
twenty-five  Europeans  all  told,  for  a  population  pro- 
viding ten  to  twelve  thousand  apiece  for  them. 

We  had  a  walk  round  to  study  the  antiquities  gen- 
erally. Beginning  in  Western  fashion  at  the  north, 
we  sought  in  vain  for  the  north  mooring-pagoda.  The 
river  undermined  it  some  time  ago,  and  it  fell;  no  one 
troubled  to  repair  it.  Evidently  geomancy  is  to  some 
extent  losing  its  hold.  At  the  Northwest  Gate  begins 
a  handsome  street  paved  with  granite,  which  runs  right 
down  the  centre,  and  after  one  jerk  to  the  left,  to  throw 
out  any  spirits,  curves  along  near  the  wall  to  the  South 
Gate.  Very  likely  the  jerk  occurs  where  the  two  coun- 
ties join  in  which  the  city  is  situated.  The  great 
Western  Gate  is  close  to  the  river,  and  all  officers  com- 
ing to  take  up  their  duties  make  their  official  entrance 
here.  The  county  offices  are  hard  by,  while  the  gover- 
nor, the  treasurer,  the  judge,  and  the  chief  constable 
have  their  offices  clustering  further  in,  on  the  Granite 
Street ;  the  prefect  of  the  district  is  to  the  north. 

The  South  Pagoda  proved  more  accessible  than  the 
North.  A  T'ang  Emperor  campaigning  in  Korea 
found  there  a  hard,  black,  lustrous  substance  which  he 
brought  into  his  camp;  noticing  that  no  snow  fell  to 
incommode  him,  he  carried  it  along  and  found  that  the 
same  good  fortune  continued,  so  when  the  campaign 


240  GATES  TO  THE  SOUTH 

was  over  he  brought  it  back  into  China.  When  he  fell 
ill,  a  Buddhist  priest  cured  him,  and  in  gratitude  he 
bestowed  on  him  the  precious  talisman.  The  priest 
brought  it  to  his  home  here,  and  it  was  built  on  to  the 
top  of  this  pagoda.  Unfortunately  a  governor  early 
last  century  did  not  understand  its  virtues,  and  threw  it 
away.  Since  then  storms  have  not  been  warded  off 
from  the  city,  and  during  our  stay  it  rained  most  of  the 
time.  A  late  governor  repaired  the  structure,  fixing 
its  height  at  seven  stories,  and  finished  it  off  with  a 
wooden  torch  nine  feet  high,  plated  with  brass  and 
gilded  with  fifty  ounces  of  gold.  Far  back  in  the  cen- 
tin-ies  all  the  property  around  the  South  Pagoda  and 
the  China  Inland  Mission  belonged  to  a  man  who  felt  he 
could  not  serve  a  corrupt  dynasty,  and  so  spent  his  time 
fishing  in  the  East  Lake  and  playing  the  guitar  to  such 
good  purpose  that  the  dragon  of  the  lake  came  and 
danced  to  him. 

A  Bachelor  of  Arts,  old  style,  favoured  us  with  a 
fuller  description  of  the  origin  of  pagodas  in  general 
and  of  this  one  in  particular.  In  the  Liang  dynasty, 
soon  after  500  a.d.,  the  Emperor  T'ai  Ch'ing  *  fell  ill, 
and  vowed  to  do  something  very  virtuous  if  he  recovered. 
To  fulfill  the  vow,  he  called  in  his  favourite  monk  for 
advice,  and  sent  him  on  a  mission  to  India  to  get  a  set 
of  the  Buddhist  scriptures  or  a  specially  fine  idol.  After 
three  years'  absence  he  returned,  with  the  specifications 
of  the  new  style  temple  with  eight  sides,  of  which  four 
were  blank,  while  four  had  open  windows  with  oil  lamps 
to  light  wandering  spirits  and  demons.  Hereupon  the 
Emperor  ordered  all  ruined  pagodas  in  the  thirteen 
provinces  of  his  dominions  to  be  repaired  on  this  model, 
and  endowed  people  to  tend  the  lamps.  The  money  is 
still  drawn,  though  the  lighting  ceased  at  the  Emperor's 

* "  Wu  Ti "  is  his  dyiiastic  title.  He  had  seven  nien-hao  or  year 
titles,  of  which  "  T'ai  Ch'ing  "  (547-549)  is  the  last. 


r.' 


y< 


> 

d  o 


cr-c 


^  H^  ^  ^  7C  * 

ABISK  WITH   THE   KOOSTER   IN   THB   MOBNINO 

death.  These  two  pagodas  were  built  on  the  top  of  a 
large  dragon  worming  his  way  northward,  and  are  so 
arranged  that  his  pulse  could  be  conveniently  felt. 

Hard  by  the  pagoda  is  a  poor-house,  supported  by 
taxes,  subscriptions,  and  an  endowment.  The  latter 
also  provides  a  girl-foundling  hospital  and  a  free  ferry. 
Besides  400  people  actually  in  the  almshouse, 
there  are  200  receiving  out-relief  to  the  amount 
of  a  room  and  900  cash  monthly.  Some  are  well 
enough  off  to  have  investments,  but  it  is  a  good  thing 
to  have  friends  at  court,  here  as  elsewhere. 

There  are  sadder  associations,  far  more  recent,  with 
this  pagoda.  A  few  years  ago  a  Roman  Catholic  mis- 
sionary made  some  serious  legal  claims,  and  pressed 
them  with  the  pertinacity  that  has  made  his  co-religion- 
ists hated,  and  till  lately  feared,  by  all  the  Chinese.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  on  March  15,  1899,  they 
extorted  from  the  Emperor  a  rescript  ranking  every 
priest  equal  to  a  prefect,  every  bishop  equal  to  a  gover- 
nor. And  so,  at  a  stroke,  instead  of  eighteen  gover- 
nors there  were  sixty-four,  and  the  new  lord-bishops 
were  not  backward  in  taking  all  their  new  rights. 
Eleven  hundred  prefect-priests  were  a  new  and  porten- 
tous phenomenon.  This  particular  man  worried  the 
genuine  prefect  past  all  endurance,  till  he  went  solemnly 
to  the  priest's  house  and  committed  suicide  at  his  door. 
As  he  intended,  he  thus  saved  his  reputation  and  roused 
popular  feeling.  The  priest  and  five  clients  of  his 
were  hounded  out,  and  were  cut  to  pieces  in  a  pond  at 
the  foot  of  the  pagoda.  It  was  the  beginning  of  the 
great  outbreak,  but  the  Chinese  had  the  good  sense  to 
discriminate  between  the  missionaries  pure  and  simple 
and  the  political  missionaries,  perpetually  interfering 
with  the  course  of  justice.     Their  prefect  has  been 

16 


242  GATES  TO  THE  SOUTH 

removed  now,  for  the  rescript  of  1899  has  been  cancelled, 
and  no  Roman  Catholic  has  any  right  to  wear  the  official 
insignia,  nor  does  he  receive  any  official  recognition. 

Not  far  away  from  the  Roman  Catholic  establish- 
ment within  the  walls  is  the  Altar  of  Heaven,  one  of 
the  forty-eight  temples  of  the  city,  and  close  by  is  the 
old  Grammar  School.  But  the  great  scholastic  quarter 
is  in  the  northeast.  Here  the  greatest  building  is  the 
Hall  of  Confucius,  where  on  the  first  day  of  every  moon 
the  scholars  kneel  before  his  tablet.  A  Chinese  gradu- 
ate in  law  at  Columbia  stipulated  that  he  should  be 
exempt  from  this;  but  the  ceremony  creates  an  awk- 
ward situation  for  Christian  students.  The  buildings, 
occupying  of  course  the  site  of  the  old  examination  halls, 
are  spacious  enough  for  a  thousand;  but  the  supply  is 
by  no  means  equal,  and  the  learned  Hanlin  scholar  at 
the  head,  one  of  ten  in  the  province,  feels  that  while  the 
monetary  provision  was  ample  and  great  credit  was  due 
to  America  for  devoting  much  of  her  "  indemnity  "  to 
such  purposes,  yet  with  lack  of  honesty  with  public 
moneys,  and  with  inefficient  primary  and  secondary 
schools,  the  higher  education  here  is  in  a  poor  way. 

The  governor  was  good  enough  to  send  his  sercetary 
and  an  interpreter  to  show  us  round  the  exhibit  of 
Kiangsi  products  to  go  to  the  fair  at  Nanking.  Be- 
sides raw  material,  there  were  local  bath-towels,  grass- 
cloth  of  many  tints,  farm  implements,  apparatus  for 
gathering  apples,  worked  from  the  ground,  mottoes  of 
white  lacquer  on  dark  bamboo,  furniture  of  bamboo  and 
wood  of  high  quality,  surveyors'  instruments,  drawings, 
paintings,  and  other  school  output,  and,  above  all,  por- 
celain in  great  variety.  Exhibitions  are  a  new  idea  to 
the  Chinese,  but  they  are  adopting  them  with  gusto, 
and  it  was  remarkable  to  find  that  the  building  was  lit 
with  electricity  generated  at  the  lake  near. 


THS   BAD  DIB   EARLY 

PART  IV.— CYCLOPEDIC  NONSENSE 

In  the  university  is  an  enormous  relic  of  the  past,  a 
cyclopedia  of  4,320  volumes  published  at  the  Imperial 
expense.  A  dip  into  the  Natural  History  section  gives 
glimpses  of  flying  cows  and  horned  men;  the  president 
explained  that  some  species  dealt  with  were  now  extinct. 
The  set  was  not  on  sale,  though  a  copy  seems  to  have 
been  given  to  America."  We  were,  however,  able  to 
buy  a  set  of  the  annals  of  the  prefecture  in  forty  vol- 
umes, a  set  of  the  annals  of  one  county  in  thirty-eight 
volumes,  and  one  of  the  other  county  in  forty  more. 

These  give  quantities  of  information.  But  as  the 
Taoist  Pope  is  such  a  feature  of  the  district,  it  will  be 
fitting  to  select  some  of  the  more  ominous  anecdotes : 

Ch'en  Shih,  a  Taoist,  came  to  lodge  with  one 
Mei,  and  begged  the  loan  of  twenty  bowls  and  sets 
of  chop-sticks  for  a  feast.  He  took  Mei  with  him 
to  the  mouth  of  a  cave  where  the  banquet  was  pre- 
pared, and  when  they  entered  the  revellers  were 
all  clad  in  the  costumes  of  the  Chou  era.  One 
dish  was  boiled  infant,  which  Mei  refused  with 
horror,  likewise  stewed  puppy;  so  Ch'en  Shih 
heaved  a  sigh  and  returned  his  implements.  At 
home  he  found  they  were  transmuted  to  gold. 

• "  This  encyclopaedia  is  the  '  Chin  Ting  Ku  Chin  T'u  Shu  Chi  Ch'eng,' 
or  '  Complete  Collection  of  Literature  and  Illustrations,  Ancient  and 
Modem,  Compiled  by  Imperial  Command.'  It  comprises  10,000  Chuan 
(books  or  sections),  besides  20  volumes  which  are  occupied  by  the  general 
Table  of  Contents.  The  contents  in  general  are  classed  under  32  main 
categories,  the  matter  arranged  in  which  is  again  subdivided  into  6,109 
subheads.  Of  the  original  edition  a  hundred  sets  were  printed,  of  which 
one  is  now  in  the  British  Museum.  (I  have  made  a  complete  alphabetical 
index  to  it,  which  is  now  in  the  press.)  Some  years  ago  a  much  smaller 
edition  was  printed  in  Shanghai,  but  I  believe  even  that  is  now  very 
difficult  to  obtain." — Lionel  Oiles. 


244  CYCLOPEDIC  NONSENSE 

A  prince  of  Chin  eloped  with  a  young  girl  up 
the  West  Mountain.  On  the  peak  he  played  so 
sweetly  that  the  Phoenix  came  and  stood  by  him; 
when  an  attendant  wished  to  examine  it,  it  disap- 
peared. The  Piper's  Peak  commemorates  the 
event. 

In  the  second  year  of  Chang  Ti  a  white  bird 
appeared  at  Nanchang.  In  the  third  year  of  the 
same,  at  Hai  Hwen  district,  a  precious  pearl  was 
found  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg,  six  inches  and  eight- 
tenths  in  circumference.  Undoubtedly  laid  by  the 
aforesaid  white  bird. 

In  the  reign  of  Yung  Chia  a  great  serpent 
appeared,  more  than  one  hundred  feet  in  length. 
It  obstructed  the  highway  and  devoured  the  pas- 
sengers. Wu  Meng  and  his  followers  killed  the 
serpent,  whereupon  Wu  Meng  remarked,  '  This 
is  the  tutelar  genius  of  the  rebels,  and  now  they 
are  certain  to  be  quelled. 

At  the  rise  of  the  Han  dynasty  the  killing  of 
a  white  snake  was  accepted  as  the  omen  of  a  new 
Emperor. 

In  the  sixteenth  year  the  prefect  sent  up  a 
white  deer  as  tribute  to  the  throne.  The  valley  in 
Kiangsi  where  the  philosopher  Chu  Hsi  passed  his 
laborious  life  is  named  after  this  White  Deer. 

In  the  seventh  year  of  An  Ti  a  man  was 
turned  into  a  tiger.  In  the  fifth  year  of  Wen  Ti 
there  appeared  a  huge  centepede  more  than  two 
feet  in  length.  It  fell  in  the  presence  of  a  woman 
by  the  name  of  Cheng,  who  called  her  maid-servant 
to  pick  it  up  and  throw  it  away.  No  sooner  had 
she  gone  out  of  the  door  when  an  old  woman 
appeared,  in  filthy  tattered  garments,  her  sockets 
without  eyes. 


n  YOD  don't  loyb  tous  neighbor  ask  him  to  KAISIC  gkesb 

It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  transformations 
of  Taoism  begin  with  the  transforming  of  baser  metals 
into  gold  and  lead  to  the  transforming  of  men  into 
immortals.  Buddhism  has  also  taken  on  this  idea, 
partly  from  the  revolving  Urn  of  Destiny,  which  was  a 
Hindu  idea,  and  partly  from  contact  with  Taoism. 

In  the  period  called  Chen  Kwan  [627-650], 
of  the  T'ang  dynasty.  Ma  Hsiao  Kung  entered 
the  southern  mountains  and  turned  into  a  tiger. 
After  the  lapse  of  twenty-three  years  he  was  turned 
back  into  a  man.  The  history  sagely  adds,  '  This 
was  the  end  of  him.'  It  ought  to  be  noticed  that 
the  name  of  the  man  was  Ma,  which  means  a  horse, 
and  it  ought  not  to  be  so  strange  for  a  horse  to 
turn  into  a  tiger. 

In  the  reign  of  Chao  Tsung  a  wooden  box  was 
dug  up  containing  twelve  images  of  men,  all  of 
gold.  Nothing  incredible  in  this,  as  such  images 
were  used  for  the  ornaments  of  the  temples. 

In  the  seventh  year  of  T'ang  Kao  Tsu  a  star 
fell  near  a  Taoist  monastery,  with  a  report  like 
thunder  and  a  blaze  of  light  with  colours  like  the 
rainbow.  The  stone  was  in  breadth  an  hundred 
feet.  The  prefect  ordered  the  chanting  of  litanies 
to  avert  the  calamities  presaged  by  this  ill  omen. 
After  seven  days  the  stone  melted  away  to  a  peb- 
ble one  inch  and  eight-tenths  in  diameter. 

In  the  family  of  Hsii  Chiin  one  of  the  posts  of 
the  house  put  forth  leaves,  and  in  the  court  there 
grew  spears  of  '  precious  grass,'  used  for  divina- 
tion. A  few  years  later  he  became  a  laureate 
scholar  of  the  Empire. 


246  CYCLOPiEDIC  NONSENSE 

It  may  be  worth  while  to  show  the  feeble  influence 
of  Confucianism  to  combat  superstition,  in  that  not 
one  of  these  scholars  ever  attained  a  high  degree  with- 
out his  relations  being  able  to  point  to  good  omens,  like 
the  foregoing.  What  science  is  there  in  the  brains  of 
such  a  high  ( ?)  scholar? 

Nanchang  has  occasionally  a  white  rainbow,  if  the 
annals  are  to  be  believed. 

In  the  near-by  district  three  dragons  ap- 
peared accompanied  by  a  white  wind  which  de- 
stroyed houses.  Then  came  a  remarkable  fall  of 
honeydew. 

In  the  thirteenth  moon  a  dragon  appeared  at 
Feng  Cheng.  His  body  was  more  than  four  hun- 
dred feet  long,  his  head  and  horns,  like  a  bull's; 
after  seven  days  he  flew  away;  and  disappeared  in 
the  clouds. 

Evidently  the  product  of  a  wild  fancy  during  the 
period  of  clouds  and  rain. 

In  the  seventeenth  year  of  Cheng,  Mast  of 
Mings,'  a  tiger  crossed  the  river  and  came  to  the 
Te  Sheng,  Gate.  ...  In  the  same  year  a  tiger 
entered  the  city  and  sat  down  in  the  street,  and  a 
chicken  turned  into  a  cook. 

Nanchang  is  a  place  where  surprises  await  the 
visitor. 

In  the  T'ang  dynasty  a  fishmonger  shut  out 
of  the  city  on  the  banks  heard  thousands  of  litanies 
to  the  Buddha;  he  discovered  they  were  being 
chanted  by  his  fish,  so  he  restored  them  to  the  river. 
Next  night  he  saw  a  bright  light  on  a  sand-bank; 
digging,  he  found  a  pot  of  gold,  of  which  he  dis- 
tributed a  great  part  to  the  poor.  His  family  has 
been  honoured  ever  since. 


1  :?E « iij  *  m  m  ^*^ 

▲   RICH   MAN,     LIVING  ON   ▲   MOUNTAIN   TOP,  WILL    UAVK   RKLATIVBS 
FROM    A    DISTANCK 

To  the  anthropologist  these  stories  may  be  of  value. 
The  Golden  Bough  might  be  enriched  by  an  examina- 
tion of  such  legends ;  it  is  most  illuminating  to  find  them 
in  the  standard  histories,  given  not  as  instances  of  folk- 
lore but  as  facts.  What  mischief  these  have  wrought! 
Many  a  person  who  will  not  "  trip  over  a  mountain  may 
trip  over  a  clod." 


XI 
WUCHANG  "^ 

PART  I.— THREE  CITIES— THREE  HILLS 

Let  the  inhabitant  of  New  Orleans  start  after 
Mardi  Gras  for  an  east-bound  trip  along  his  line  of 
latitude.  He  will  reach  Jerusalem  in  time  for  the 
excitement  of  Easter.  If  he  can  make  friends  across 
the  next  stretch,  he  will  reach  Lahore  and  see  the  won- 
derful Sikh  rites ;  but  it  will  take  him  all  his  diplomacy 
and  courage  to  push  on  to  Wuchang.  Yet  if  he  arrives 
by  Christmas,  he  will  find  snow  on  the  ground.  From 
this  point  he  gets  again  in  touch  with  civilisation,  for 
this  is  a  sort  of  St.  Louis,  with  ocean  steamers  starting 
hence  down  the  Yangtze.  So  it  is  the  official  capital 
of  the  province,  with  the  usual  military  and  educational 
establishments  and  200,000  people  sheltering  within 
its  seven-mile  walls. 

Wuchang  is  only  the  beginning.  Officialism  and 
commerce  often  thrive  better  with  a  little  partition 
between.  Across  the  river  was  a  second  city,  Hanyang, 
nestling  at  the  foot  of  the  Tortoise  Hill.  Once  its  walls 
were  full  of  warehouses  and  factories,  and  expanding 
business  looked  further  afield.  A  little  to  the  north 
the  river  Han  empties  into  the  Yangtze ;  a  new  style  of 
fortifying  was  adopted,  starting  a  wall  three  miles  up 
the  left  bank  of  this  tributary,  running  inland  and  cut- 
ting off  a  great  crescent  of  land  ending  vaguely  some 
two  miles  down  the  Yangtze,  but  with  no  return  to  the 
river,  and  with  no  river-wall.  The  effect  is  like  a 
hedgehog,  prickly  enough  on  one  side,  but  quite  defence- 
less on  the  other.  The  hedgehog  in  question  is  called 
Hankow.     Since  this  grew  up,  iron-works,  arsenal,  and 

248 


AN   ABODSED   8PI&IT   CAN   OU   ANYTHIMO 


249 


Wuchang;  "Military  Splendour.' 


250  THREE  CITIES:  THREE  HILLS 

houses  have  nearly  filled  up  the  space  between  the  Han 
and  the  city  Hanyang.  The  three  cities  together  are 
often  called  Wu-Han,  and  they  contain  perhaps  a 
million  people. 

Then  to  the  north  of  native  Hankow  are  other  set- 
tlements, quite  unwalled.  British,  Russians,  French, 
Germans,  Japanese,  have  all  secured  concessions  with 
river  frontages,  and  behind  their  business  or  residential 
quarters  have  a  golf-club  and  a  race-course.  Yet  fur- 
ther west  and  north  is  the  great  trunk  railway  through 
Honan  to  Peking,  with  three  railway  stations. 

Wuchang  proper  is  the  provincial  capital.  It  is 
cut  in  two  by  the  great  Serpent  Hill,  running  due  east 
and  west  and  dividing  it  into  two  fairly  equal  halves. 
To  the  south  there  were  nine  lakes,  but  five  have  been 
filled  in  and  reclaimed.  About  a  third  of  the  way  from 
the  west  a  tunnel  has  long  existed,  for  a  main  street 
connecting  the  palace  and  the  tomb.  A  new  road  was 
blasted  across  the  ridge  for  wheeled  traffic;  but  when 
the  viceroy  took  up  his  residence,  he  suffered  from  an 
obstinate  carbuncle  on  his  neck.  The  Chinese  doctors 
declared  that  it  was  because  this  carriage-road  had  cut 
down  into  the  serpent's  neck  and  was  hurting  his  back- 
bone. The  viceroy  hastily  enlisted  all  available  men 
and  had  the  new  cut  filled  in  at  a  cost  of  six  hundred 
taels ;  then  the  serpent  let  his  neck  heal.  This  particu- 
lar viceroy  was  most  advanced,  as  may  appear  pres- 
ently; he  ought  to  have  remembered  that  a  serpentine 
road  was  most  fitting. 

At  the  west  end  of  Serpent  Hill,  a  part  called 
Flower  Hill,  stands  a  handsome  three-story  pagoda 
which  reminded  us  of  the  chortens  on  the  Tibet  border. 
Just  north  of  the  modern  spine  of  the  city  runs  an  east- 
and-west  street  lined  with  seven  thousand  shops,  the 
Broadway  of  Wuchang.  For  more  than  half  its  length 
it  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  Cosmetic  Hill,  whose  fiank 


A  SMALL   STONB  CAN    BKKAK   A   LAR6K   JAB 

it  turns  at  the  east,  to  throw  out  any  intrusive  spirits. 
Flower-garden  Hill  is  still  more  to  the  north;  this  and 
the  space  thence  to  the  wall  is  a  favourite  quarter  for 
mission  establishments,  American  Episcopalians,  Lon- 
doners, Wesleyans,  and  Swedes. 

PART  II.— THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

Wuchang  was  once  capital  of  a  kingdom;  for  it 
will  be  remembered  that  what  we  call  China  has  only 
six  times  been  all  ruled  as  an  Empire.  What  went  on 
before  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti  is  unimportant ;  but  before 
300  B.C.  there  was  here  the  kingdom  of  Ch'u,  and  from 
about  25  A.D.  to  589  the  kingdom  of  Wu  was  in  this 
central  basin.  So  permanent  did  it  seem  that  when 
all  the  sons  of  Han  came  together  again,  Wuchang 
remained  capital  of  a  large  province  known  as  Hu- 
kwang,  "  Broad  Lakes."  The  southern  half  has  been 
cut  oiF,  with  one  great  lake,  and  has  been  erected  into 
the  province  of  Hunan,  with  a  governor  at  Changsha. 
But  though  the  remainder  was  renamed  Hupei  and 
provided  with  a  mere  governor,  local  pride  was 
wounded,  and  it  was  found  advisable  to  abolish  him  and 
install  a  viceroy. 

These  viceroys  at  Nanking  and  Wuchang  have  great 
powers  and  heavy  responsibilities,  superintending  the 
huge  population  on  this  most  fertile  of  river-basins. 
Their  difficulties  in  the  age  of  transition  command  our 
earnest  sympathy.  The  changes  of  twenty  years  seem 
outdone  by  the  changes  of  ten  more,  and  men  on  the 
spot  are  unable  to  forecast  what  the  next  five  may 
bring  forth.  For  the  old  style  we  have  one  character- 
istic instance  in  the  carbuncle-ravine.  Here  is  another 
instance  of  fast  passing  manners. 


252       THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

On  Fuki  Street  lived  a  man  named  Wang,  who  had 
a  grudge  against  a  neighbour  and  could  obtain  no  re- 
dress. So  he  finally  adopted  the  method  employed  by  a 
magistrate  against  a  Roman  Catholic  priest  at  Nan- 
chang:  he  went  and  committed  suicide  at  his  enemy's 
door,  trusting  to  arouse  popular  indignation  and  per- 
haps legal  action.  The  enemy  heard  the  preparations, 
watched,  and  waited  till  Wang  had  kicked  his  last,  then 
cut  down  the  corpse,  and  carried  it  along  to  the  door  of 
a  tertium  quid,  a  man  against  whom  he  likewise  had  a 
grudge.  Here  he  re-hanged  Wang  in  the  orthodox 
style.  In  the  morning  the  tertium  awoke  early,  and  on 
looking  out  was  desperately  frightened.  But  noticing 
that  it  had  rained  heavily  in  the  night  and  that  the 
streets  were  as  usual  deep  in  mire,  he  took  the  shoes  off 
Wang's  feet  and  replaced  them  by  a  clean  pair.  The 
corpse  was  soon  seen  and  reported,  and  the  father-and- 
mother  officer  came  to  investigate.  The  tertium  waxed 
indignant  at  the  attempt  to  fasten  suspicion  on  him,  and 
disclaimed  all  knowledge  of  Wang.  He  declared  that 
some  one  must  have  carried  the  corpse  there,  and  pointed 
out  that  the  shoes  were  clean,  so  that  the  deceased  could 
not  have  walke^.  The  plea  was  accepted,  and  a  ver- 
dict of  "  Found  dead  "  was  recorded,  leaving  the  ter- 
tium's  character,  like  his  shoes,  unspotted. 

That  illustrates  purely  internal  customs;  an  inci- 
dent of  1882  may  throw  light  on  the  policing  of  the  city. 
Toward  the  end  of  the  third  moon  a  rumour  spread  that 
there  was  to  be  a  rebellion,  which  would  start  in  Han- 
kow with  general  murder  and  arson.  Such  credence 
did  this  obtain  that  the  city  rapidly  emptied,  nine  out 
of  ten  disappearing  to  the  country;  the  foreign  conces- 
sions found  that  all  native  police  were  off  duty,  and  that 
servants  had  most  appropriately  taken  French  leave. 
The  officials,  of  course,  did  their  best  to  allay  the  scare, 
and  boldly  declared  that  there  was  absolutely  no  reason 


nm&^^^m  ^^ 


DANOER  ON   A   BOAT   OB  ON   UORSEBACE 


for  it.  But  on  the  twenty-eighth  day  an  informer  went 
to  the  governor  and  for  cash  down  betrayed  what  was 
going  on.  A  robber  chief  had  actually  been  intriguing 
with  the  garrison,  and  had  brought  a  hundred  bandits 
to  the  city.  They  were  housed  in  one  of  the  public 
granaries,  which  ought  to  have  been  full  of  rice,  but 
owing  to  the  needs  of  some  underling  was  empty  of  that 
commodity.  He  had  arranged  with  a  corps  of  firemen, 
who  at  a  given  signal  were  to  set  the  city  ablaze,  while 
in  several  camps  the  soldiers  would  rise,  and  could  carry 
out  his  schemes  of  robbery.  Some  loj^al  troops  sent  to 
the  granary  found  there  a  band  of  ruffians  who  could 
give  no  satisfactory  account  of  their  presence,  so  they 
were  beheaded  on  the  spot,  and  in  the  morning  baskets 
full  of  heads  were  distributed  to  be  hung  across  all  the 
principal  streets,  to  restore  confidence.  The  measure 
succeeded. 

Now  history  is  given  to  repeat  itself  in  China,  and 
in  the  Boxer  year  of  1900  there  was  a  very  similar 
experience.  A  band  of  red-republican  anarchists 
arrived  at  Hankow  in  the  summer,  and  hired  a  large 
foreign  house  adjoining  the  British  Concession.  They 
proceeded  to  issue  wealth  certificates  to  all  the  ruffians 
they  could  enlist;  a  pledge  of  absolute  obedience  was 
exacted,  and  the  promise  was  made  of  wealth  beyond 
the  dreams  of  avarice.  They  were  required  to  furnish 
themselves  with  a  knife,  a  box  of  matches,  and  a  whistle 
— of  which  the  organisers  brought  huge  quantities. 
The  idea  was  that  on  the  night  of  the  nineteenth  of 
August,  at  a  given  signal,  the  whistles  should  be  blown 
everywhere;  as  the  people  came  out  to  enquire,  enough 
judicious  murders  should  be  committed  to  stampede  the 
rest,  and  a  few  houses  of  the  poorer  sort  should  be  fired, 
to  encourage  a  general  exodus.  Then  the  conspirators 
would  fall  heirs  to  the  wealth  of  three  towns,  and  could 


254        THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

inaugurate  a  commonwealth  of  perfect  equality  and 
universal  prosperity.  But  the  authorities  learned  a 
few  hours  before  the  set  time,  and  arrested  twenty  lead- 
ers at  the  headquarters,  all  duly  beheaded  early  in  the 
morning.  iTheir  impedimenta  proved  to  consist  of 
philosophical  books — query:  by  European  anarchists? 
— treatises  on  international  law,  bales  of  proclamations 
in  Chinese  and  English,  a  dozen  old  Snider  rifles,  and 
twenty  gross  of  police  whistles  not  yet  distributed.  Yet 
despite  the  curious  assortment  of  apparatus,  those  who 
understand  the  Chinese  habits  thought  that  the  plan 
might  well  have  succeeded  and  there  might  have  been 
frightful  anarchy.  As  it  was,  the  danger  sobered  the 
people ;  some  wild  spirits  had  been  talking  about  a  gen- 
eral cutting  of  foreign  throats,  but  the  citizens  waked 
up  to  the  fact  that  any  outbreak  at  all  would  menace 
general  stability  and  safety,  so  that  thenceforward  the 
foreigners  were  safe  here. 

It  is  not  likely  that  many  more  pranks  of  this  nature 
will  be  tried.  The  Chinese  military  system  is  being 
recast,  and  the  old  methods  are  passed  away.  At  Wu- 
chang there  are  now  large  barracks  in  which  a  division 
of  20,000  soldiers  are  being  trained.  It  is  impossible 
to  give  a  close  account  of  the  proceedings,  but  evidently 
the  utmost  care  is  being  bestowed  on  them.  Bodily 
health  is  attended  to,  daily  baths  being  given;  mental 
development  is  fostered,  and  special  schools  are  opened ; 
technical  training  is  given  by  constant  drill;  and  lest 
all  work  and  no  play  should  make  John  Chinaman  a 
dull  boy,  he  has  a  fair  amount  of  recreation.  The 
arsenal  across  the  river  provides  him  with  the  most 
advanced  of  military  engines,  and  if  only  reasonable 
honesty  can  invade  the  public  service,  so  that  ammuni- 
tion of  good  quality  will  be  found  in  store  when  needed, 
the  new  Chinese  army  will  make  short  work  of  native 
bandits  or  of  foreign  invaders. 


A  *li>  ^  JE  *6  ^ 


i55 


A   DISOONTSNTBD   MIND   IS   LIKE   A   SERPBNT  WISHING  TO  SWALLOW 
AN   ELKPHANT 


SANSHEN 


HU-CHIN 

TSZESHEN 

Musical  instruments  used  by  the  blind  fortune  tellers  of  Wuchang. 


256        THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

While  this  new  army  is  an  evident  sign  of  a  new  age, 
the  place  yet  abounds  in  instances  of  the  popular  cred- 
ulity and  superstition.  We  had  the  curiosity  to  count 
up  ten  different  kinds  of  fortune-tellers  who  flourish  in 
the  city.  One  species  is  blind  and  manoeuvres  with  a 
four-stringed  tambourine,  while  another  blind  set  pre- 
fers a  brass  disc  four  inches  across ;  the  method  of  using 
these  and  all  other  implements  we  did  not  ascertain.  A 
third  instrument  has  two  strings;  a  three-stringed 
variety  has  a  long  handle,  a  four-stringed  is  a  fiddling 
variety.  A  sixth  apparatus  consists  of  a  short  board 
and  a  stick,  a  seventh  of  two  pieces  of  iron  spun  on  the 
hand.  Sometimes  a  bird  is  employed  to  pull  out  num- 
bers, sometimes  a  table  is  invited  to  operate  in  the  dark. 
Superior  practitioners  receive  consultants  at  their  own 
houses.  Now  much  of  this  can  be  matched  in  many 
Western  towns,  by  reading  the  palm,  studying  the  hand- 
writing, consulting  a  penny-in-the-slot  machine,  or 
attending  a  spiritualist  seance.  But  while  such  prac- 
titioners are  regarded  rather  askance,  if  indeed  they 
are  not  legally  classed  as  rogues  and  vagabonds,  and 
while  people  who  go  to  them  are  regarded  as  somewhat 
soft,  public  opinion  in  Wuchang  tells  the  other  way. 
Perhaps  two  men  in  every  five  get  their  fortunes  told, 
and  four  out  of  five  women.  The  peripatetic  wizards 
seldom  ask  more  than  one  hundred  cash,  but  if  a  scholar 
goes  to  one  of  the  more  pretentious  establishments,  the 
Harley  Street  specialist  will  expect  a  fee  of  ten  or 
twelve  taels. 

For  thirty  years  past  some  of  the  more  enlightened 
Chinese  have  been  endeavouring  to  ameliorate  these 
conditions  and  to  alter  the  tone  of  their  people.  Among 
the  earliest  and  most  influential  of  these  was  Chang 
Chih  Tung,  whose  career  culminated  here  and  has  left 
many  tokens  of  his  prescience.  He  came  into  the  front 
rank  when  war  threatened   with  France  over   some 


z- ±.  m  \M  z^  m  "f- usi         257 

nr  TOC  NEVER  GO  UP  HILL,  YOU  WILL  NE7ER  SEE  A  PLAIK 

frontier  question  with  Annam.  The  Chinese  had  had 
such  painful  experiences  with  Western  wars  that  the 
Peking  authorities  were  inclined  to  give  in.  But  first 
they  listened  to  memorials  from  high  officials,  and 
Chang  Chih  Tung,  then  stationed  at  Taiyuan,  argued 
in  an  elegantly  written  paper  that  they  should  risk  war; 
better  this,  said  he,  than  tamely  submitting  to  every 
aggression  and  losing  face  again;  while  he  pointed  out 
that  there  were  limits  to  foreign  invaders'  being  able  to 
penetrate  the  land.  To  put  it  in  our  way,  even  Napo- 
leon could  not  get  far  into  Russia,  and  was  glad  to  get 
away  again  at  any  cost,  leaving  the  remnants  of  his 
Grand  Army  to  flounder  out.  An  over-sea  invader 
might  conceivably  capture  New  Orleans,  Charleston, 
Philadelphia,  New  York,  and  Boston;  but  what  could 
he  do  next?  He  could  not  get  away  from  his  base  of 
supplies,  the  sea,  without  being  swallowed  up  in  an 
angry  population  which  would  simply  engulf  his  fight- 
ing force,  and  he  might  end  by  being  glad  to  re-embark 
without  being  attacked.  Arguments  of  this  kind  did 
Chang  Chih  Tung  adduce,  and  his  advice  put  heart  into 
the  wavering  Foreign  Board.  The  French  made 
exactly  such  a  poor  show  as  he  had  anticipated,  and  his 
reputation  was  established. 

He  was  sent  down  to  Canton,  the  great  port  where 
the  foreigner  was  most  troublesome,  as  viceroy.  Here 
he  showed  himself  able  to  discriminate  between  the  for- 
eign inventions,  which  were  good,  and  the  foreign 
aggression  or  control,  which  he  was  determined  to  resist 
with  all  his  power.  He  planned  a  great  college,  and 
engaged  many  foreign  professors  to  teach  in  it.  Here 
he,  adopted  a  shrewd  move  which  has  often  commended 
itself  to  those  who  employ  aliens;  he  decided  to  mix 
his  foreign  employees,  lest  they  should  combine  and 

17 


258        THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

work  on  lines  beyond  his  control.  The  old  Honourable 
East  India  Company  had  some  plan  with  native  troops, 
and  still  it  is  the  custom  to  have  Sikh,  Moslem,  and 
Hindu  companies  in  the  same  regiment.  But  this  col- 
lege hardly  got  beyond  paper,  for  once  again  he  was 
promoted  and  had  to  move. 

Li  Hung  Chang  thought  the  time  was  ripe  for  the 
introduction  of  railways,  and  planned  a  great  trunk 
line  from  Canton  to  Peking.  The  scheme  was  sub- 
mitted for  criticism  to  the  governors  and  viceroys,  and 
Chang  Chih  Tung  approved  highly.  But  he  said  that 
China  ought  to  finance  and  engineer  it  herself,  rather 
than  let  foreigners  get  a  new  foothold  in  this  way. 
Thus  he  fairly  raised  one  of  the  great  questions  that  still 
remain  unsettled.  China  had  no  national  debt  of  any 
size,  and  he  believed  it  would  be  easy  to  raise  the  capital 
within  her  borders,  or  at  worst  to  raise  a  national  loan ; 
but  let  the  foreign  leaders  have  nothing  to  do  with 
the  administration  of  the  capital.  There  are  some 
countries  too  poor  in  wealth  and  talent  to  develop  their 
own  resources,  and  they  let  in  a  syndicate  of  foreigners 
who  build  the  railways,  manage  them,  perhaps  staff  them 
with  more  foreigners  in  all  the  best-paid  situations,  and 
certainly  pocket  the  profits.  Other  countries,  like 
Australia,  have  indeed  to  borrow  foreign  capital;  but 
they  pay  steady  low  interest,  and  build  their  railways  as 
they  themselves  choose,  and  run  them  as  they  choose, 
and  man  them  with  their  own  people,  and  keep  all  the 
profits.  This  was  what  Chang  Chih  Tung  desired,  and 
again  his  view  prevailed.  He  was  therefore  trans- 
ferred to  Wuchang  to  carry  out  his  plans,  this  capital 
being  beyond  the  reach  of  any  possible  foreign  aggres- 
sion, whether  from  Siberia  or  from  Shanghai  or  from 
Canton  or  from  Annam,  while  it  was  on  a  navigable 
river  and  at  the  very  centre  of  the  great  trunk  line 
decided  on. 


ltiri«±t«iS^^ 


259 

REGABD  MONEY  AS   YILTH  AND   BXaHTROUSNESS   AS   GOLD 


But  there  were  two  or  three  difficulties.  The  great 
viceroy  was  incorruptible,  and  while  he  had  the  manage- 
ment of  vast  sums  his  hands  were  always  clean.  Unfor- 
tunately his  subordinates  were  of  a  different  school,  and 
he  could  not  infuse  a  better  spirit ;  therefore  it  was  hard 
to  inspire  confidence  and  get  the  requisite  capital. 
Arrangements  had  already  been  made  for  a  cotton- 
mill,  and  a  staff  of  assorted  foreigners  had  been 
engaged;  this  was  as  easy  to  erect  at  Wuchang  as  at 
Canton,  and  here  it  arose.  But  he  could  not  make  up 
his  mind  to  what  extent  he  would  trust  his  chiefs  of 
department,  and  so  quarrels  became  frequent,  and  the 
experiment  failed.  Other  "  foreign  toys  "  were  intro- 
duced, and  were  marred  in  the  working  by  the  same 
vacillation,  till  he  was  in  danger  of  losing  all  popular 
esteem.  Then  he  crowned  his  career  by  a  great  cur- 
rency scheme  of  the  kind  that  has  fascinated  so  many- 
half-enlightened  statesmen. 

The  first  step  was  with  the  metallic  coinage.  The 
time-honoured  small  change  consisted  of  copper  cash, 
with  a  square  hole  in  the  middle  so  that  they  could  be 
made  up  in  strings.  The  value  was  not  uniform,  but 
from  800  to  1000  exchanged  against  one  tael,  say  6/8. 
Now  Chang  Chih  Tung  hit  on  the  brilliant  idea  of  mint- 
ing a  new  style  of  cash,  whereby  the  metal  that  pre- 
viously made  two  would  be  coined  into  ten.  Even 
though  the  cost  of  coining  would  be  considerable,  it 
seemed  as  though  there  would  be  a  glorious  profit,  which 
would  all  go  to  the  patriotic  purpose  of  finding  Chinese 
capital  for  Chinese  industries.  And  he  established  a 
huge  mint,  able  to  supply  not  only  his  own  viceroyalty 
but  all  China.  It  did  not  take  long  for  other  viceroys 
and  governors  to  realise  what  possibilities  lay  here,  and 
presently  other  mints  arose,  so  that  his  operations  were 
limited  again  to  his  own  government. 


«60        THE  CITY  OF  MILITARY  SPLENDOUR 

Then  came  the  second  act  of  the  drama.  Why  not 
have  a  cheaper  medium  still?  Paper  seemed  used  by 
foreigners,  not  only  as  cheques,  but  as  bank-notes, 
greenbacks,  and  other  government  documents.  And 
he  so  far  overcame  his  distrust  of  foreigners  that  he 
entrusted  the  printing  to  Japanese,  out  of  his  domains. 
In  due  time  arrived  bales  of  bank-notes,  and  the  paper, 
printing,  freight,  and  insurance  had  only  cost  one  dollar 
for  documents  professing  to  be  worth  one  thousand  dol- 
lars! Eureka!  Out  went  an  edict  that  this  was  legal 
tender,  and  all  government  accounts  were  paid  in 
government  paper. 

The  result  can  easily  be  divined.  The  new  cash 
drove  out  the  good  old  cash,  the  paper  drove  out  the 
silver ;  and  now  throughout  this  viceroyalty  the  currency 
is  almost  entirely  taken.  All  the  bullion  not  sent  to 
Peking  as  the  regular  tribute  has  gone  to  pay  for  the 
"  foreign  toys,"  and  it  is  asked  when  there  will  be  pro- 
vincial bankruptcy.  Fortunately  there  are  silver-mines, 
and  a  vigorous  working  of  these  might  remedy  the 
mischief  if  only  the  bad  currency  could  be  called  in.  As 
for  the  internal  eif  ect,  all  goods  rapidly  rose  in  price,  but 
wages  did  not  rise  at  the  same  rate,  and  the  pinch  of 
poverty  became  felt  as  never  before. 

And  the  railway?'  The  poor  viceroy  meant  well, 
but  he  never  got  a  mile  of  it  into  working  order.  The 
Belgians  secured  a  concession  to  build  and  operate  it 
from  here  to  Peking ;  they  were  not  to  be  feared  as  pos- 
sible aggressors,  and  there  was  no  rubber  to  tempt. 
But  in  the  north  Russians  and  Japanese,  in  the  centre 
Italians,  in  the  northeast  English  and  Germans,  from 
here  to  Canton  English  and  Americans,  from  Canton 
and  Burmah  English,  from  Annam  French — all  these 
show  that  the  forebodings  of  the  viceroy  were  too  true, 
and  that  foreigners  will  seek  a  peaceful  penetration. 

The  province  has,  however,  solid  resources.    Already 


«  H  V®  j^  T  *D  'C^  W  «  A         «" 

A  WORLD   OF   ACQUAINTANOKS.    BDT   HOW   MANY   FKIKND9 

the  iron-works  that  Chang  Chih  Tung  began  have 
covered  the  land  by  Hanyang.  The  mines  at  Ta-yeh 
are  operated  on  methods  that  fear  no  comparison,  and 
there  is  but  a  short  water-carriage  to  Hanyang,  where 
thousands  of  tons  of  pig-iron  and  steel  are  now  pro- 
duced daily,  of  such  good  quality  that  some*  has  been 
shipped  direct  to  California.  A  little  breathing-space, 
and  the  well-meant  but  disastrous  experiments  of  the 
viceroy  will  have  led  on  to  real  prosperity.^ 

PART  III.— THE  NEW  EDUCATION 

It  is  useless  to  get  foreign  toys  until  foreign  intelli- 
gence is  assimilated.  A  typewriter  and  a  sewing-ma- 
chine in  every  house  might  possibly  be  some  good,  but 
more  probably  would  soon  rust  and  spoil.  China  has 
halted  a  little  to  equip  herself  with  Western  education 
enough  to  handle  Western  tools. 

Westerners  have  long  been  giving  Wuchang 
some  taste  of  this.  This  location,  recognised  as  a 
most  important  focus,  has  been  occupied  in  strength. 
Putting  together  the  three  Wu-Han  cities,  there 
are  eleven  different  societies  at  work  here,  from 
England,  America,  Norway,  and  Sweden,  with  118 
workers  of  both  sexes.  The  Wesleyans,  under  C.  Wil- 
fried  Allen,  the  author,  have  a  large  plant  and  much 
success.  But  much  the  strongest  is  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  with  23  people  in  Wuchang,  and  13 
more  at  Hankow;  its  work  dates  from  1868.  Enormous 
stress  has  always  been  laid  on  education;  within  three 

*  While  on  the  subject  of  Chang  Chih  Tung,  it  may  be  recalled  that 
he  was  the  author  of  a  work  entitled  "  Ch'tian  Hstieh  P'ien,"  which  made 
a  profound  sensation  at  the  time  of  its  appearance.  It  was  translated 
by  a  Frenchman  under  the  title  "Exhortation  a  I'fitude,"  but  it  means 
rather  "  Exhortation  to  Reform."  Another  translation,  or  rather  para- 
phrase, was  made  by  the  American  scholar  Dr.  S.  I.  Woodbridge.  This  was 
called  "China's  Only  Hope." 


262  THE  NEW  EDUCATION 

years  a  school  was  opened  in  premises  that  cost  £30, 
a  common  one-story  house,  and  Christian  boys  were 
trained  for  mission  purposes,  at  the  mission  cost 
entirely  in  the  early  days.  In  1891  forward  steps  were 
taken;  drill  was  instituted,  English  was  taught,  and 
non-Christians  were  admitted.  Seven  years  ago  the 
education  was  advanced  to  college  rank ;  arts,  theology, 
and  medicine  were  dealt  with,  and  an  Amercian  charter 
was  presently  obtained.  The  whole  educational  system 
controlled  and  inspired  thus  at  Wuchang  comprises  46 
primary  and  secondary  schools  for  boys,  with  more 
than  1,600  pupils.  Nor  are  girls  neglected,  for  500  are 
taught  in  20  schools.  School  fees  are  readily  paid,  ris- 
ing from  £3,000  to  £3,500  in  a  single  year.  More  than 
a  third  of  the  American  staff  and  more  than  half  the 
Chinese  staff  are  educators  pure  and  simple,  while  nearly 
every  American  does  some  teaching.  There  are  tech- 
nical schools,  catechetical,  normal,  and  training  for 
nurses  and  Bible-women.  The  whole  of  the  Boone 
University  is  mostly  on  American  lines,  for  study, 
recreation.  Phi  Beta  Kappa  societies,  etc. ;  prayers,  pills, 
and  drills  are  great  features,  brass  bands  and  Shake- 
speare's plays  assist  the  native  mind  to  assimilate 
Western  methods,  while  American  architecture  is  the 
rule. 

Another  great  novelty  is  a  splendid  building  for  a 
library,  of  which  Dr.  JNIartin  wrote,  "  If  you  can  intro- 
duce into  China  the  circulating  library,  you  will  be 
introducing  a  new  force  which,  like  radium,  will  shine 
in  the  dark  and  not  be  exhausted."  It  is  designed  pri- 
marily for  students  of  all  Wuchang  schools.  Before 
the  building  was  started,  4,000  English  books  were 
accumulated,  and  a  selection  of  1,500  Chinese  books  was 
made;  the  best  English,  German,  and  French  works  are 
also  to  be  translated  into  Chinese  and  placed  upon  its 
shelves. 


THERE   IS   FLKSU    ON    BOTH   SIDES   OF   YOUR    HAND 

Boone  publishes  a  quarterly  review  in  English,  and 
its  pages  give  an  insight  into  the  result  of  this  Americo- 
Christian  education.  Graduating  theses  at  one  com- 
mencement were  on  "The  Primary  Cause  of  China's 
Decline,"  "  China's  Greatest  Need,"  "  Self-respect, 
National  and  Individual,"  "  The  Awakening  of  China," 
and  "  Education  as  the  Basis  of  All  True  Reform." 
One  graduate  contrived  to  work  in  Mencius,  Pytha- 
goras, Milton,  Paul,  Locke,  Disraeli,  Shakespeare,  and 
Sir  Joshua  Fitch  within  seven  minutes,  along  with  the 
opinion  that  if  a  man  wishes  to  have  self-respect  he  must 
not  depend  upon  others,  but  rather  have  others  depend 
upon  him.  Mr.  W.  T.  Nieh  had  drunk  deeply  at  the 
viceregal  spring  when  he  summed  up: 

"  The  urgent  demand  for  the  redemption  of  the 
railways  from  foreign  capital  is  essential,  because 
of  the  people's  realisation  of  the  danger  of  foreign 
capital ;  because  railways  involve  the  life  and  death 
of  a  nation,  and  when  railways  fall  into  the  hands 
of  foreigners  the  rights  of  sovereignty  follow.  .  .  . 
All  these  dangers  have  been  realised  by  the  people, 
and  therefore  they  wish  to  force  the  government 
to  redeem  the  railways." 

Mr.  L.  T.  Tsin  started  out: 

"  Cries  of  reform  are  heard  all  over  the  Empire! 
Cries  of  revolution  meet  one's  ears  from  all  quar- 
ters of  the  country!  Unless  great  care  be  taken 
and  proper  remedies  be  applied,  serious  conse- 
quences will  inevitably  follow." 

Now  Mr.  Tsin  was  very  right  there.  The  new  edu- 
cation as  given  in  the  government  schools  and  colleges 


264  THE  NEW  EDUCATION 

is  an  important  factor.  Here  alone  there  are  a  hun- 
dred, including  normal,  agricultural,  and  geological. 
And  once  again  it  should  be  remembered  that  the  plan 
now  adopted  is  due  to  a  "  remarkable,  elaborate  and 
really  excellent  scheme  of  education  which  Chang  Chih 
Tung  prepared  and  submitted  to  the  throne  a  few  years 
ago,"  even  if  it  goes  to  lengths  he  did  not  entirely 
approve.  But  to  see  what  it  occasionally  results  in, 
read  a  version  of  some  extracts  from  the  message  of 
Tsen  Sing-tai  to  his  fellow-students  before  he  killed 
himself: 

"  I  have  changed  my  mind  and  advocate 
democracy,  for  I  have  found  out  that  the  Manchus 
and  the  Hans  cannot  exist  side  by  side.  If  we 
ever  wish  to  save  China  from  perishing,  we  are 
bound  to  make  a  decided  stand  to  rule  China, 
instead  of  the  Manchus,  and  afterwards  we  shall 
take  care  of  them.  We  shall  also  admit  the  Man- 
chus to  all  privileges  and  rights  belonging  to 
respectable  citizens.  As  the  world  has  advanced  so 
far  in  civilisation,  there  will  surely  be  no  wholesale 
slaughter  of  the  Manchus.  If  we  change  our  sys- 
tem of  government,  educate  our  people,  readjust 
our  financial  administration,  train  artisans  and 
tradesmen,  in  ten  years  we  shall  have  men  to  attend 
to  everything  properly,  and  our  sovereign  rights 
will  be  restored.  Usually  I  have  not  any  serious 
idea  on  religious  matters ;  but  if  it  be  said  that  we 
cannot  do  without  a  religion,  I  would  rather  pre- 
fer to  uphold  Confucianism  as  the  only  one  fit  for 
China.  Buddhism  is  likewise  in  a  position  favour- 
able for  the  Chinese  people.  As  to  Christianity, 
our  people  are  free  to  believe  in  it  if  they  are  so 
disposed;  to  adopt  it  as  our  national  religion  is  a 
very  unnecessary  step." 


EAST  TO   SEE   FLOWERS,    BUT   HARD  TO   EMBROIDER 

With  thoughts  like  these  seething  in  many  minds,  it 
has  been  impressed  on  some  Western  leaders  that  the 
time  is  ripe  for  the  establishment  of  a  great  Christian 
university  in  Wu-Han.  The  danger  is  lest  this  be  done 
on  a  meagre  scale.  There  is  no  lack  of  government  sup- 
port for  government  institutions,  and  for  Christian 
schools  and  colleges  and  universities  to  be  outclassed 
would  be  a  disaster.  If  the  thing  is  to  be  done,  it  must  be 
done  in  the  best  way  and  inaugurated  lavishly. 


XII 
CHANGSHA 

PART  I.— A  HIGHLAND  PROVINCE 

Hunan  is  a  magnified  New  Hampshire.  Cut  off 
from  its  other  half,  Hupei,  it  has  the  upper  courses  of 
three  rivers,  which  in  flood-water  swell  up  into  a  lake 
some  seventy  miles  long,  Tung  T'ing,  that  serves  as  a 
kind  of  reservoir  for  the  Yangtze,  receiving  its  overflow 
at  high  water  by  many  channels  and  feeding  it  again 
later.  The  eastern  river,  Siang,  can  be  navigated  for 
some  distance,  and  so  the  capital,  Changsha,  is  naturally 
placed  on  it,  about  a  hundred  miles  from  the  Yangtze. 
The  southern  and  western  part  of  the  province  is  cut 
up  by  hills,  and  the  people  are  separated  into  small 
mountain  groups,  with  all  the  peculiarities  that  are  well 
known  in  the  Pyrenees  and  the  AUeghanies,  which  do 
not  foster  welcome  to  strangers  nor  high-bred  courtesy, 
but  develop  self-reliance  and  independence.  Valley 
after  valley  has  its  own  dialect,  diff^ering  in  both  idiom 
and  pronounciation,  and  in  the  streets  of  Changsha  may 
be  heard  a  Chinese  babel. 

There  is  a  good  export  trade,  chiefly  by  boat  down 
the  Siang,  whose  sailors  form  a  very  characteristic  sec- 
tion of  the  people.  From  the  Pingsiang  colliery  good 
coke  is  sent  to  America.  Lead  and  antimony  are  pre- 
pared. Rice  and  beans  are  sold  in  large  quantities,  but 
a  most  remarkable  new  trade  is  now  done  in  fresh  eggs ! 
These  are  sent  down  to  Hankow,  shelled,  packed  into 
sealed  jars,  and  shipped  to  London  to  make  cake,  with- 
out the  confectioners'  needing  to  treat  them  further; 
half  a  million  were  sent  out  last  year.  If  this  goes  on, 
they  will  soon  be  sending  lettuce  and  fresh  strawberries 

266 


Changsha,  Capital  of  Hunan. 


A  OnOOKRD-MODTUBD   HAN    BLOWISO  A   TBCHPBT     CmAKKS   OISCOBD) 


>    ili> 


Changsha  means  "  Long  Sand." 


268  A  HIGHLAND  PROVINCE 

with  the  morning  dew  frozen  on  them.  The  chief  man- 
ufactures disposed  of  are  umbrellas  and  fire-crackers, 
paper,  furniture,  and  gold  articles.  All  these  com- 
modities employ  several  steamers  nine  months  in  the 
year,  while  the  coal  takes  up  the  services  of  junks.  In 
return  the  Hunanese  purchase  machinery,  cotton  yarn, 
woven  cottons — especially  black  turbans  and  white 
handkerchiefs,  which  they  put  to  quite  European  uses — 
petroleum,  and  cigarettes.  One  very  dubious  item  is 
eight  tons  of  bank-note  paper,  which  suggests  that  the 
currency  theories  of  his  Excellency  Chang  Chih  Tung 
are  still  current. 

Plenty  of  legends  are  rife  in  the  province.  On  an 
island  in  the  reservoir-lake,  Chun  Shen,  is  a  grave 
of  two  sisters,  daughters  of  Yao.  In  the  year  2285 
B.C.  they  were  married  to  Shun,  who  after  a  reign  of 
fifty  years  headed  an  expedition  against  the  three  Miao, 
then  occupying  this  region.  He  fell  ill,  and  when  the 
sisters  heard  they  hastened  to  nurse  him;  at  this  point 
they  were  met  with  news  of  his  death,  whereupon  they 
slew  themselves.  He  was  buried  at  Chiu  I  Shan,  where 
stands  a  temple  to  his  honour,  in  which  worship  is  paid 
triennially.  A  group  of  stories  cluster  round  his  fam- 
ily. Yao  had  wished  the  Chief  of  the  Four  Mountains, 
an  able  lieutenant,  to  succeed  him,  but  the  chief  declined 
and  nominated  Shun,  who  was  taken  on  trial  as  col- 
league, then  given  the  right  of  succession.  From  the 
same  early  Chinese  chronicles  comes  a  survey  executed 
about  the  same  time,  which  extended  as  far  south  as  the 
sacred  mountain  Heng  Shan,  at  the  southern  end  of  a 
twenty-mile  range,  on  Kou  Lou  Feng.^ 

*This  is  the  Kou-lou  peak  of  Mount  HSng,  on  which  the  famous 
tablet  of  YU  (a  record  of  his  labours  in  draining  oflF  the  waters  of  the 
Chinese  deluge)  is  supposed  to  have  been  erected.  The  actual  tablet  is 
said  to  have  been  discovered  in  1212  a.d.,  but  there  is  very  little  doubt 
that  the  apparently  ancient  inscription  thereon  (in  the  so-called  "  tadpole 
characters")  was  a  gross  forgery.  See  Legge's  "Chinese  Classics,"  iii, 
pt.  1,  p.  66  teq. 


A  FAMOUS  Cannon   on   the  wall  of  Changsha 
CALLED  "The  Red-haired  Great  General." 

It  killed  the  leader  of  the  Taipings;  the  same  shot 
broke  off  the  lower  lip.  Superstitious  persons  wor- 
ship it. 


A    lil.iiGAR   WHO    ROLLS    THROLUU    TIIK    HIKKKIS    <)l     (llANGSHA. 


fiS  #h  T-  ?l  « 


269 

TOU  NBBD  A  NBZDLB  TO  DRAW  THD  TBBKAD 


The  province  has  of  course  a  long  history,  most  of  it 
quite  as  well  authenticated  as  the  stories  of  Yao,  Shun, 
and  Yii.  There  are  still  living  many  who  remember  the 
T'ai-p'ing  rising,  which  most  seriously  aifected  the 
province.  It  was  in  its  origin  a  revolt  against  the  Man- 
chus,  complicated  with  a  leaning  to  a  vague  Christianity. 
The  rebels  swept  over  the  country,  and  their  success 
justifies  the  Chinese  policy  of  maintaining  walled  cities. 
They  were  daring  enough  to  besiege  Changsha,  and 
being  unexpected  they  might  have  entered  had  they 
known  where  to  try.  But  seeing  a  splendid  tower  they 
made  for  it,  thinking  it  was  a  principal  gate ;  instead  of 
which  they  expended  much  energy  on  a  perfectly  solid 
wall,  the  strongest  part  of  the  defences.  While  they 
wasted  their  time,  the  whole  of  the  ramparts  were  put 
in  thorough  repair.  ISText  they  drove  a  mine,  charged 
it  with  gunpowder  packed  in  coffins,  and  exploded  it. 
But  it  was  not  long  enough,  and  they  simply  opened  a 
crater  in  front  of  the  wall.  So  after  eighty  days  they 
broke  up  and  marched  on  to  Hanyang,  where  they  were 
more  successful,  and  exterminated  the  garrison. 

This  movement  had  a  definite,  intelligible  aim  that 
could  be  sympathised  with  by  many.  But  there  are 
occasional  exhibitions  of  high  spirits  that  remind  one  of 
contemporary  Texas  and  cowboys  out  on  the  spree. 
One  morning  thirty  year  ago,  while  market  was  pro- 
ceeding quietly  in  a  large  city  of  250,000  people,  a  shrill 
whistle  was  heard,  and  suddenly  several  men  who  had 
been  chaffering  or  idling  tied  a  yard  of  red  cloth  round 
their  heads,  produced  short  knives,  and  started  on  a 
general  slash  round.  In  a  short  time  the  market  was 
empty;  the  magistrate  sought  change  of  air,  the  major 
went  to  the  country,  the  soldiers  took  their  vacation,  and 
within  a  few  hours  the  whole  city  was  stampeded,  leav- 


270  A  HIGHLAND  PROVINCE 

ing  just  about  a  hundred  bandits  to  loot  it  at  leisure. 
Every  night  they  were  augmented  by  more  bad  char- 
acters, and  it  was  a  fortnight  before  General  Ma  led 
back  some  troops  to  evict  them.  They  escaped  well 
laden  with  plunder,  but  were  tracked  down  one  by  one 
and  executed.  The  leader  had  spread  a  report  that  he 
was  invulnerable,  neither  knife  nor  bullet  being  able  to 
penetrate  his  skin;  so,  rather  than  waste  time  in  trying, 
they  boiled  him  in  oil. 

To  pair  off  with  this  typical  story  of  the  Hunanese 
men,  we  ought  to  take  from  the  Changsha  Annals  the 
Introduction  to  the  section  on  "  Famous  Women." 

"  For  women  to  preserve  chastity,  to  commit 
suicide  after  the  death  of  their  husbands,  and  to 
remain  unmarried,  are  not  natural  inclinations,  but 
are  feelings  inspired  from  heaven,  or  by  Imperial 
exhortation.  The  impulse  to  such  actions  is  the 
same  in  women,  whether  in  high  estate  or  hi 
poverty.  The  famous  Li  Si  Chi  said  that  when 
one  woman  achieves  glory,  the  whole  world  exhorts 
her  to  continue  in  the  glorious  action. 

"  A  prefect  named  Yiin  Yii  under  the  Chin 
dynasty  had  two  beautiful  daughters ;  he  was  slain 
in  battle,  and  his  conqueror  took  possession  of  them. 
They  said  that  their  father  was  a  prefect,  and  it 
was  better  to  die  than  to  become  wives  of  a  robber. 
The  brigands  slew  them. 

"  Under  the  Ming  dynasty,  when  the  rebel 
Chang  Hsien  Chung  was  pillaging  Changsha,  a 
girl  saw  the  wall  occupied  by  rebels  while  the  offi- 
cers and  garrison  of  the  city  had  fled.  Taking  a 
spear  in  one  hand  and  a  sword  in  the  other,  she 
ran  up  on  the  wall  and  began  to  fight.     The  rebels 


TUK   BLIND   HAN   SATS   UK   SAW   A    GHOST 

expostulated,  and  asked  why,  when  the  soldiers 
had  fled,  she,  a  maiden,  should  so  exert  herself. 
She  replied  that  she  must  shame  the  cowardly- 
men;  cursed  them,  charged,  and  was  slain. 

"  In  the  same  sack,  there  was  a  man  named 
Ch'en  Chung  Yiian,  whose  wife  constantly  urged 
him  to  good  deeds.  When  the  rebels  came  to  her 
home  she  was  in  the  inmost  rooms,  but  hearing  that 
her  husband  was  captured,  she  ran  out  and  offered 
to  die  instead ;  they  took  her  also  and  led  them  out 
of  the  city.  Despite  her  entreaties  they  were  sepa- 
rated, whereupon  she  cursed  them  and  died  at  their 
hands.  In  1536  a  memorial  portal  was  erected  by 
her  descendants. 

"  At  the  same  time  a  man  named  Wang  was 
slain.  His  second  wife,  a  girl  of  twenty,  being 
captured,  leaped  into  the  river.  When  her  son, 
five  li  distant,  heard  of  this,  he  too  ran  and  jumped 
in.  A  few  days  later  their  bodies  were  found 
together,  with  hands  clasped. 

*'  In  the  family  of  Chang  were  two  daughters 
who  vowed  celibacy,  as  they  had  no  brother  to  sup- 
port their  parents,  and  became  seamstresses. 
When  better  times  came,  they  used  their  money  to 
build  a  bridge  which  still  remains;  one  lived  to  be 
sixty-nine,  the  other  to  be  seventy." 

PART  II.— THE  VIRGIN  CITY 

Until  recent  times  the  proud  city  of  Changsha  was 
inviolate  by  foreigners.  Founded  beneath  lucky  con- 
stellations, guarded  by  a  holy  hill,  it  was  pure  from  the 
defilement  of  the  alien. 


272  THE  VIRGIN  CITY 

In  the  days  of  Confucius  it  was  recognised  that  one 
special  star  was  linked  with  this  district.  It  is  in  the 
midst  of  the  Chen  constellation,  controlling  life  and 
death;  if  it  becomes  smaller  and  brighter,  long  life  is 
assured  and  descendants  are  multiplied.  The  constel- 
lation as  a  whole,  the  twenty-eighth,  has  to  do  with 
governmental  relations.  If  the  Linchpin  stars  approach 
it  harmony  prevails;  if  they  recede  from  it,  there  will 
be  distrust  between  princes  and  statesmen;  if  they 
brighten,  there  will  be  peace;  if  they  grow  dim,  war 
impends  and  the  hearts  of  officials  sink.  So  this  city 
is  not  only  called  Changsha,  but  has  borrowed  the  name 
of  the  star  Singsha — much  as  Boston  is  the  hub  of  the 
universe. 

To  come  down  to  plain  earth  and  quit  this  astrologi- 
cal Zadkiel  Morrison  information,  all  copiously  set  forth 
with  abundant  diagrams,  we  find  an  antiquarian  disser- 
tation on  the  various  names  the  surrounding  country 
has  borne  and  the  exact  status  it  has  held  throughout 
two  millenniums.  We  may  follow  good  English  pre- 
cedent and  begin  about  1066  a.d.,  when  for  the  first  time 
two  magistracies  were  erected  here,  Shan  Hwa  being 
carved  off  from  the  older  Changsha.  This  division  has 
obtained  ever  since,  and  the  city  of  Changsha  (popu- 
larly so  called)  straddles  the  boundary,  so  that  within 
one  set  of  walls  are  to  be  found  the  officers  of  two  dis- 
tinct magistracies — a  phenomenon  not  very  unusual  in 
these  mammoth  places.  It  lends  itself  admirably  to 
evading  demand  for  prompt  action  if  the  mayor  of 
Bootle  can  refer  you  to  the  lord  mayor  of  Liverpool, 
the  boundary  line  being  quite  imperceptible  to  the  ordi- 
nary wayfarer. 

The  city  itself  was  far  older,  for  about  202  B.C.  the 
prince  Wu  Nei  had  built  a  wall  of  earthen  brick  and 
glazed  tiles,  which  was  reckoned  to  be  26,890  Chinese 
feet  in  length.     The  division  effected  by  Yiian  Fu 


KBITHER  A   70RCI0KKR   KOB  A   CANT0NE8B 

assigned  everything  south  of  the  Great  West  Gate  and 
the  Lin  Yang  Gate  on  the  east  to  the  Shan  Hwa  magis- 
tracy. Under  the  Mings,  the  Chinese  who  drove  out 
the  Mongols,  Ch'in  Kuang  undertook  a  general  repair, 
when  the  wall  was  strengthened  and  heightened  with 
stone.  iThis  re-fortification  was  none  too  soon,  and 
was  none  too  effective.  In  1637  rebels  captured  the 
city,  and  when  they  were  driven  out  a  moat  was  added, 
with  bastions  at  the  four  chief  gates.  These  were  not 
sufficient  to  prevent  another  devastation  in  1643,  and 
the  repairs  of  1647  were  so  paltry  that  Hung  Cheng 
Chen  caused  the  whole  wall  to  be  demolished  and  built 
anew  both  wider  and  higher. 

This  was  the  time  when  the  Manchus  were  con- 
quering China,  and  when  K'ang  Hsi  felt  his  seat  secure 
in  1664,  he  divided  the  great  province  of  the  Broad 
Lakes  and  made  Changsha  the  capital  of  the  southern 
half.  This  of  course  greatly  increased  its  importance; 
residences  were  built  for  the  governor,  the  judge,  the 
treasurer,  and  the  superintendents  of  grain  and  salt,  and 
then  the  whole  of  the  fortifications  were  completely 
recast.  Three  or  four  times  again  have  they  been 
repaired,  enlarged,  or  rebuilt,  owing  both  to  captures 
and  to  undermining  by  water.  As  they  stand  now,  they 
are  about  ten  li  on  the  river  face  and  the  eastern  face, 
five  on  the  northern  and  southern  faces.  Of  the  two 
north  gates,  only  the  western  one  is  open;  on  the  river 
front  to  the  west  are  three  open  and  one  closed;  at  the 
south  is  one;  on  the  east  are  two. 

The  city  seems  to  be  one  of  the  best  in  China.  It 
presents  few  of  the  usual  features  of  narrow  alleys  with 
noisome  smells  and  poor  lights,  and  the  houses  are  well- 
built  and  well-kept,  while  the  people  are  vigorous  and 
alert.     From  coolie  to  philosopher,  every  class  seems 

18 


274  THE  HOLY  HD^L 

self-respecting  and  dignified ;  if  only  the  foreign  curses 
of  opium  and  whiskey  can  be  kept  out,  this  population 
will  be  a  strength  to  the  Empire. 

Across  the  river  on  the  west  is  Yo  Lu  Shan,  the 
Holy  Hill,  which  we  visited  with  a  small  party  including 
an  intelligent  antiquary  well  posted  in  its  lore.  As  we 
saw  the  college,  the  pavilions,  shrines,  destructors, 
bridges,  farms,  temples,  it  was  easy  to  understand  that 
the  hill  had  its  Eight  Wonders.  But  to  notice  the 
many  religious  establishments  set  us  thinking  of  Philip 
the  Fair  and  his  bold  taxing  of  the  clergy  when  he  ran 
short  of  funds.  Here  in  this  Changsha  region  are  thou- 
sands of  monks  and  nuns,  Buddhist  and  Taoist ;  even  if 
they  do  not,  as  in  Tibet,  live  luxuriously  on  rents,  yet 
they  add  nothing  to  the  country,  whether  in  material 
well-being  or  in  mental  vigour  or  in  religious  zeal.  A 
little  disendowment  is  already  going  on,  in  that  old 
temples  are  converted  into  new  schools ;  a  little  utilising 
of  clerical  labour  might  be  a  good  thing  for  the  finances 
of  the  Empire. 

Mr.  Yang  generously  favoured  us  with  several  dis- 
sertations here,  which  are  too  good  to  condense ;  he  was 
for  three  years  a  student  in  the  famous  college,  and  can 
be  accepted  as  a  good  authority  on  physical  geography, 
architecture,  biography,  and  the  Eight  Wonders.  Here 
is  the  gist  of  his  information. 

PART  III.— THE  HOLY  HILL 

1.  Mountain  and  Water. — The  name  of  the  hill  is 
Peak-foot.  It  bifurcates  into  Large  Heavenly  Horse 
Hill  to  the  south.  Little  Heavenly  Horse  Hill  to  the 
north;  and  in  the  landscape  behind  them  is  placed  the 
college,  as  such  an  exceptionally  favourable  situation 
enables  the  students  to  get  on  with  Heavenly  Horse 
speed.  The  geomancers  have  been  extremely  busy  with 
this  mountain,  which  they  say  is  under  the  Literary  Star. 


Ya.NCx     llbi     SiiAU,     liltil.l-lA.N  i      ot  ilUl^AK     AND     SECOND 
CONVERT    OF    THE    C.   1.   M.    IN     ChANGSHA. 


Photo  by  l>r.  Keller. 


On  the  River  at  Changsha. 


MOaNTAIKS   DO   MOT  TUBN,    BDT  ROADS    DO 

Other  notable  classes  are  military  mountains — and  to 
bury  your  father  there  augurs  well  for  your  strength 
and  prowess — and  wealth  mountains,  where  a  grave 
ensures  riches.  The  special  classes  of  mountains  mark 
out  not  only  grave  sites,  but  locations  for  colleges, 
temples,  and  residences  both  private  and  official.  Yo 
Lu  Shan  is  good  for  colleges  only.  In  a  private  house 
the  spouting  and  piping  to  carry  water  from  the  roof 
should  be  convoluted,  lest  the  rush  of  water  down  an 
easy  path  should  attract  a  man's  wealth  to  follow  it 
rapidly;  but  for  a  college  the  water  acts  on  a  man's 
ignorance.  Therefore  the  drain  from  the  college  is  run 
perfectly  straight  down  to  the  river,  and  is  dignified 
with  the  title,  "  Wash  the  Heart  " ;  the  quicker  the  water 
sluices  down,  the  quicker  will  the  ignorance  be  washed 
from  the  heart  and  the  coveted  degree  be  obtained. 
Now  we  know  why  Western  colleges  have  done  so  well, 
by  their  good,  straight  plumbing! 

There  was  another  college  south  of  the  city  on  the 
east  bank,  headed  by  Chang,  when  Chu,  the  great  Con- 
fucian commentator,  presided  at  Yo  Lu  Shan.  The 
two  professors  had  much  to  say  to  each  other,  so  they 
established  a  ferry,  which  is  known  after  them.  It  is 
free  to  students  and  teachers,  but  ordinary  people  pay. 

2.  Buildings. — The  Holy  Hill  has  two  important 
classes  of  buildings,  colleges  and  temples.  At  the  sum- 
mit is  a  Taoist  temple,  half-way  up  is  a  Buddhist,  and 
at  the  foot  are  others  for  Confucian  worthies ;  so  the  hill 
is  in  honour  of  Tao  Hsiang,  an  official  who  devoted  him- 
self to  preach  eternal  principles.  As  his  brother  offi- 
cials believed  in  the  temporal  principles  of  power  and 
wealth,  they  trumped  up  charges  against  him  and 
secured  his  degradation.  On  his  way  into  banishment 
he  passed  this  town,  and  a  professor  induced  the  soldiers 


276  THE  HOLY  HH^L 

to  halt  for  a  few  hours;  in  that  time  he  made  such  an 
impression  that  the  people  erected  this  temple  to  his 
memory. 

Another  small  temple  commemorates  Ch'ii  Yiian, 
a  high  officer  in  the  kingdom  of  Ch*u  before  300  B.C. 
He  constantly  pleaded  for  high  principles,  but  found 
that  he  incurred  enmity.  Among  the  people  he  won 
great  fame  by  a  poem  called  "  Li  Sao,"  ^  still  held  in 
high  repute  and  known  to  bring  tears  to  the  eyes  by  its 
exquisite  language  and  lofty  ideas.  He  was  so  unpopu- 
lar with  his  brother  officials  that  despite  the  favour  of 
the  king  he  drowned  himself  in  hope  of  arousing  action.^ 
In  memory  of  this  the  Fifth  Moon  Feast  was  instituted, 
which  has  gradually  spread  all  over  China  as  one  of  her 
three  annual  festivals.  Dragon  boats  race  on  the  lake 
and  up  the  river,  while  the  people  devour  dumplings  of 
millet  or  rice.  They  used  to  throw  the  grain  into  the 
river  as  a  sacrifice  to  Ch'u,  but  he  appeared  in  a  dream 
and  told  them  that  this  was  feeding  a  dragon  in  the 
river;  so  they  altered  the  custom  and  wrapped  the  rice 
in  certain  leaves  he  indicated,  but  ate  most  themselves. 

The  greatest  group  of  buildings  here  is  for  the  col- 
lege. It  has  a  reputation  more  than  provincial  and 
ranks  as  the  first  of  the  four  great  universities,  the  Har- 
vard or  Oxford  of  all  China.  The  school  across  the 
river  is  only  for  Hunan  students;  this  was  open  to  all 

•An  allegorical  poem  describing  the  writer's  search  after  a  prince 
who  will  listen  to  good  counsels  in  government. 

"On  the  bank  of  the  Mi-lo  River  he  met  a  fisherman,  who  accosted 
him,  saying:  "Are  you  not  His  Excellency  the  Minister?  What  has 
brought  you  to  this  pass?"  "The  world,"  replied  Ch'ii  Yiian,  "is  foul, 
and  I  alone  am  clean.  There  they  are  all  drunk  while  I  alone  am  sober. 
So  I  am  dismissed."  "  Ah,"  said  the  fisherman,  "  the  true  Sage  does 
not  quarrel  with  his  environment,  but  adapts  himself  to  it.  If,  as  you 
say,  the  world  is  foul,  why  not  leap  into  the  tide  and  make  it  clean? 
If  all  men  are  drunk,  why  not  drink  with  them  and  teach  them  to  avoid 
excess?"  After  some  further  colloquy  the  fisherman  rowed  away;  and 
Ch'tt  Yiian,  clasping  a  large  stone  in  his  arms,  plunged  into  the  river 
and  was  seen  no  more. — Oileg'  Biog.  Diet. 


Photo  by  Dr.  Keller. 


The  son  of  Li,  who  at  six  years  of  age,  coild 

REPEAT    THE    SeRMON     ON     THE     MoUNT     WITHOUT     A 
MISTAKE.  . 


On  THE  Tung  Ting  Lake. 


PURE  GOLD   DUSS   NOT   FKAR   THE  riBB 

comers  who  had  already  won  their  b.a.  It  began  about 
1130  A.D.  in  small  premises,  but  was  enlarged  till  noth- 
ing more  was  possible  on  the  old  site,  and  Governor  Wu 
lately  erected  a  new  building.  On  the  campus  is  a 
temple  to  Confucius,  with  statues  of  him  and  his  four 
famous  disciples.  In  the  Pavilion  of  Literature  is  an 
image  of  the  god  who  dwells  in  the  Great  Bear  constel- 
lation. Another  pavilion  is  inscribed  with  the  cele- 
brated motto,  "  To  rise  high,  start  from  what  is  low,'* 
and  so  is  known  as  Humility  Pavilion.  These  build- 
ings were  not  available  as  studies  and  dormitories,  so 
the  students  boarded  out  in  local  homes,  a  very  few 
being  anciently  housed  in  the  Taoist  temple.  In  the 
main  block  were  the  quarters  of  the  professors  and  staff, 
with  a  fine  library  above,  where  were  books  presented 
by  the  Emperor.  So  high  was  the  reputation  of  the 
university  that  the  governor  in  person  opened  it  every 
New  Year.  But  all  this  is  now  changed;  the  old 
studies  are  needed  no  more,  and  the  old  methods  have 
passed  away. 

A  score  of  little  temples  on  the  hill  conmiemorate 
celebrated  Newtons,  Websters,  Wyclifs,  and  Anselms. 
In  the  Taoist  temple  they  show  two  scrolls  which  by 
their  beautiful  calligraphy  and  their  neatness  of  epigram 
made  the  reputation  of  the  writer.  A  score  of  symbols, 
a  living  for  life! 

3.  Alumni. — A  century  ago  Hsiao  determined  he 
would  be  Senior  Wrangler  of  the  Empire,  a  distinction 
awarded  every  three  years.  Literary  style  and  pen- 
manship were  the  qualifications.  He  came  to  this 
college  and  decided  that  nothing  should  distract  him. 
Daily  he  poured  one  cup  of  water  on  his  ink  slab, 
ground  it  into  ink,  and  practised  till  all  was  used,  till 
he  was  nicknamed  One-cup  Hsiao.     Letters  he  burned 


278  THE  HOLY  HILL 

unread,  so  that  he  knew  nothing  of  his  mother's  illness 
and  of  her  death  till  a  messenger  arrived  to  bring  him 
to  the  funeral.  He  quickly  returned  to  resume  his 
studies,  and  won  his  M.A.,  the  highest  provincial  degree. 
Now  in  another  province  another  man  had  the  same 
ambition,  and  knew  he  had  no  chance  against  Hsiao, 
so  he  sent  a  friend  to  ascertain  which  year  Hsiao  was 
entering.  The  messenger  found  that  Hsiao  had  already 
started  to  sit  at  Peking,  so  he  waited,  and  three  years 
later  he  did  win  the  coveted  honour.  Hsiao  did  not 
only  secure  his  D.Litt.,  but  headed  the  list  and  fulfilled 
his  life's  ambition.  On  his  way  home  some  friends  met 
him  at  Shanghai  and  entertained  him  at  a  banquet;  he 
got  drunk,  set  his  clothes  on  fire,  and  died  before  ever 
he  reaped  his  reward. 

Ho  Ch'ang  Ling  came  up  to  college  at  the  age  of 
fourteen,  having  already  secured  his  B.A.  at  the  pre- 
fectural  examination.  His  mother  sent  a  large  piece 
of  bacon  wrapped  up  in  his  bedding,  to  eke  out  his 
scanty  fare.  But  when  the  examination  time  came  and 
a  servant  came  from  home  to  carry  his  bedding  over  to 
the  hall,  the  bacon  was  found  mouldy ;  evidently  the  lad 
had  studied  so  hard  and  so  late  that  he  never  opened  his 
bed,  and  lay  simply  on  the  bare  boards.  His  diligence 
was  rewarded  not  only  by  winning  his  M.A.,  but  by 
being  first  on  the  list.  The  same  good  fortune  attended 
him  at  the  Hanlin  examination  for  D.Litt.,  and  when 
all  the  successful  candidates  presented  an  address  to 
the  Emperor  on  his  birthday,  his  name  at  the  head, 
meaning  "  Congratulation  Long  Life,"  caught  the 
ruler's  fancy,  and  he  received  special  favours.  The 
fourth  descendant  of  this  man  is  now  table  boy  to  a 
foreigner  here,  and  bitterly  feels  the  degradation  due  to 
his  poverty. 

Lo  Tien  came  up  so  poor  that  he  had  to  sell  some 
clothes  to  pay  a  registration  fee  of  1/6.    He  decided  to 


FOBH   FKIENPSHIPS  ACOOBDINO  TO   VIBTUB 

alter  this,  and  when  he  became  professor  he  made  it  low 
enough  for  the  poorest.  His  writing  is  still  shown  as 
a  model,  and  he  was  skillful  enough  to  use  any  old  stub 
of  a  pen;  his  wisdom  was  such  that  the  Emperor  con- 
sulted him.  Being  appointed  chancellor  of  education 
for  Szechwan,  he  went  about  the  streets  to  seek  young 
students  to  chat  with  them.  The  city  prefect  begged 
him  not  to  lower  official  dignity,  but  he  replied  that  he 
wished  to  be  a  father  rather  than  a  ruler,  and  that  in  an 
unlettered  province  he  must  inspire  a  love  of  learning. 
When  he  was  made  head  of  this  university,  he  had  a 
favourite  pupil,  P'eng  O,  and  when  this  candidate  for 
M.A.  brought  a  copy  of  his  essay,  he  made  sure  that 
the  first  place  would  fall  to  him;  yet  when  the  list  was 
posted,  P'eng  O  was  not  in  it  at  all.  Now  the  six  best 
essays  were  always  published,  and  when  they  came  out 
Lo  Tien  sent  for  them  to  see  which  the  examiner  thought 
the  best.  The  best  essay  was  P'dng  O's,  but  was  credited 
to  Fu  Chin  Hsien,  so  he  began  to  investigate.  Fu  had 
bribed  a  servant  of  the  examiner  to  get  him  through; 
the  servant  had  watched  as  the  papers  were  examined, 
and  saw  that  this  particular  essay  was  in  the  running, 
so  he  managed  to  detach  the  label  which  would  ulti- 
mately identify  the  writer,  and  to  substitute  another. 
When  the  award  was  made,  the  labels  were  opened,  and 
inside  the  best  was  found  the  name  of  Fu  Chin  Hsien, 
with  his  birthplace,  age,  and  genealogy  for  three  genera- 
tions. A  messenger  hurried  to  tell  the  man,  and  found 
him  at  tea;  when  he  heard  the  news,  he  dropped  the 
cup  in  terror,  knowing  that  suspicion  would  be  aroused 
by  his  being  placed  first.  He  set  to  work,  and  being 
rich  he  bribed  the  governor  and  the  examiner  and  even 
P'eng  O,  but  Lo  Tien  would  not  let  the  matter  drop, 
though  P'eng  O  begged  him  to  relent.    He  declared  that 


280  THE  HOLY  HILL 

to  hush  up  a  scandal  of  this  kind  would  open  the  door 
to  endless  corruption.  "  If  we  do  not  press  the  case 
now,  it  will  give  a  handle  to  all  future  generations  to 
corrupt  the  examinations."  Moreover,  as  the  M.A. 
degree  was  a  passport  to  office,  it  would  lead  to  wicked 
men  swaying  power.  So  he  pushed  the  case  on,  and 
the  results  were  truly  remarkable.  The  governor  was 
degraded,  also  the  examiner,  and  all  other  officials  at 
all  implicated.  Fu  Chin  Hsien  was  condemned  to  be 
beheaded,  but  he  improved  on  his  former  plan  and 
bought  a  beggar  to  personate  him  and  be  beheaded, 
while  he  escaped  with  the  remnant  of  his  wealth  to  a 
distant  part  of  the  Empire.  The  servant  who  changed 
the  labels  was  torn  to  pieces  for  several  hours,  and 
several  accomplices,  were  beheaded.  And  last  of  all. 
P'eng  O  was  banished,  in  accordance  with  the  law  that 
when  a  case  has  brought  about  far-reaching  conse- 
quences the  man  whose  action  started  it  must  be  pun- 
ished, however  innocent  or  worthy  he  may  be.  As  for 
Lo  Tien,  he  felt  that  he  had  caused  the  death  of  so 
many  people  that  their  spirits  would  haunt  the  examina- 
tion hall,  and  therefore  he  would  not  let  any  of  his 
descendants  enter  for  any  competition,  lest  they  should 
die  there  and  their  corpses  be  thrown  over  the  wall.  But 
under  the  new  system  many  of  them  are  winning  repu- 
tation for  talent  and  diligence. 

4.  The  Eight  Wonders.  The  White  Crane  Spring 
comes  first.  The  Sixth  Dynasty  Pine  Tree  lasted  over 
sixteen  hundred  years,  but  was  destroyed  by  a  heavy 
snow-storm  a  generation  ago.  Resounding  Mountain 
has  a  fine  echo.  The  Flying  Bell  is  in  the  side  of  a 
tree;  it  was  not  flying  when  we  saw  it.  So  also  the 
Fying  Stone;  but  they  both  flew  once.  An  ancient 
copy  of  the  Yii  tablet  on  Nan  Yo  Shan.  The  Fierce 
Snake  Hole.     The  tablet  of  Li,  written  a  thousand 


ft  *  T^  H  P  «8i 

THE  ABLK  HINISTBB   KBSPS   Hia   MOnTH  SHUT. 

years  ago,  is  so  beautiful  in  its  calligraphy  that  frequent 
rubbing  for  copies  was  destroying  it;  it  has  therefore 
been  duplicated,  and  the  original  is  locked  away,  while 
copyists  are  referred  to  the  replica.  It  gives  an  account 
of  the  temples  on  the  mountain. 

While  the  mountain  is  often  frequented  as  a  park, 
there  are  two  seasons  when  it  is  crowded,  both  being 
national  holidays.  From  the  time  of  Confucius  it  has 
been  believed  that  on  the  third  of  the  third  moon  men 
should  walk  on  the  mountains  and  wash  at  a  flowing 
spring;  so  the  people  doff  their  winter  furs  and  come 
to  rejoice  in  the  green  grass  and  the  budding  leaves. 
On  the  ninth  of  the  ninth  moon  they  follow  the  prece- 
dent of  Yiian,  who  was  warned  in  a  dream  to  flee  to  the 
mountains  then;  on  his  return  he  found  all  his  chickens 
and  dogs  dead. 

A  very  few  tombs  are  on  the  hill,  but  mostly  ancient. 
This  century  a  young  student  in  Japan  sought  to 
awaken  the  patriotism  of  his  fellows  by  drowning  him- 
self. They  put  his  body  in  a  coffin  and  sent  it  here. 
The  students  from  all  the  city  formed  a  great  proces- 
sion and  came  to  the  Holy  Hill,  where  they  selected  a 
geomantic  site  and  interred  it,  well  knowing  what 
scandal  it  would  give.  The  more  conservative  people 
were  horrified,  and  counter-riots  arose,  till  the  governor 
had  the  coffin  removed.  The  ringleader  disappeared, 
and  has  not  been  heard  of  since. 

PART  IV.— ENTERING  THE  FORBIDDEN  CITY 

The  students  were  also  ringleaders  in  keeping  all 
foreigners  out;  indeed,  their  martyr  hero  urged  them 
to  hatred  of  aliens,  and  it  was  an  obvious  corollary  to 
drive  them  from  the  city.  Fourteen  years  ago  a  steam- 
launch  came  to  Changsha  with  a  foreign  traveller;  the 


282  ENTERING  THE  FORBIDDEN  CITY 

students  beat  the  wooden  fish  and  assembled ;  they  upset 
the  soup-cauldrons  so  that  if  any  would  not  join  the 
demonstration  neither  should  they  eat ;  they  sent  across 
the  free  ferry  and  raised  the  mere  undergraduates  and 
other  scholars,  then  went  to  the  governor  and  demanded 
the  expulsion  of  the  foreigner.  Failing  to  get  satisfac- 
tion, they  went  to  the  river  front  and  a  regular  riot 
ensued,  doubtless  with  city  roughs  now  taking  the  lead- 
ing part. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  so  recently  as  1896  no 
foreigner  had  come  here  except  a  lunatic.  But  soon 
afterwards  three  Wesleyans  turned  aside  to  try  their 
fortune,  and  found  that  an  escort  of  soldiers  was  told 
off  to  see  that  they  were  treated  properly.  Before  long 
two  of  them  returned  here  to  live,  and  after  some 
troubles  and  delays  they  actually  secured  a  freehold,  on 
the  ninth  day  of  the  third  moon  of  the  twenty-fifth  year 
of  Kwang  Hsii.  This  was  presently  improved  upon  by 
Dr.  Frank  Keller,  "  American,"  obtaining  a  property 
right  within  the  walls  of  the  inviolate  city. 

There  are  now  more  than  fifty  white  people  resident 
here.  The  Methodists  have  had  some  lively  times.  One 
of  their  converts  was  a  Buddhist  monk,  and  having  a 
private  oratory  with  a  few  idols,  he  burned  them.  They 
had  a  second  convert,  also  a  Buddhist  monk,  in  charge 
of  a  public  temple  with  idols ;  and  he  with  three  sympa- 
thisers burned  them.  All  were  soon  arrested,  and 
though  the  monk  died  when  out  on  bail,  the  others  were 
sentenced  to  various  terms  of  prison.  When  the  terms 
ran  out  their  clansmen  would  not  give  bonds  for  their 
good  beha\aour,  and  the  magistrate  would  not  accept 
bonds  from  Christians,  till  the  missionaries  took  the  case 
to  the  governor.  Meantime  their  stay  in  prison  had  been 
marked  by  regular  Sunday  worship,  by  the  reforma- 
tion and  conversion  of  some  robbers,  and  by  the  curing 


A    ChINKHK    i>KKJJ. 

This  deed  was  made  out  for  the  first  real  estate  in  Changsha  sold  to  a  foreigner. 
Missionary  Society  was   the  purchaser. 


The  London 


I     I     i  1 


Ulcer  Patient  at  Dr.  Keller's  Hospital,  Changsha. 


THE   COUNTBYMAN    EATING  SBA-SLDOS  VOR  THB   FIBST  TIMB 

of  the  magistrate's  wife  through  the  medical  skill  of  one 
of  them.  So  now  there  is  a  good  group  of  Christians 
out  of  this  curious  event. 

Dr.  Keller  has  another  fine  congregation  with  which 
we  spent  a  Sunday;  it  included  a  water-carrier,  scholars, 
students,  merchants,  a  mason,  a  banker,  a  tailor,  a 
painter,  a  butcher,  a  fruit-stall  hawker — twice  as  many 
men  as  women. 

One  of  them,  indeed,  is  proctor  for  Yale.  The  Yale 
Mission  intends  to  supply  the  very  best  education  avail- 
able. The  foreign  colleges,  unless  they  keep  not  merely 
abreast  of  but  far  ahead  of  the  new  government  institu- 
tions, have  a  dangerous  time  ahead. 

The  new  spirit  in  official  circles,  with  its  cautious 
adaptation  to  the  old,  is  well  shown  by  the  Changsha 
Library.  The  site  has  for  two  thousand  years  kept  in 
mind  the  filial  piety  of  Prince  Ting,  who  used  to  ascend 
a  tower  within  the  Southeast  Gate,  to  gaze  daily  toward 
his  ancestral  home.  Temple  after  temple  has  arisen 
here  in  his  honour,  till  late  last  century  the  last  was  used 
by  the  scholars  for  literary  symposia.  This  century  it 
was  converted  by  the  progressive  governor  into  a  hand- 
some library  with  reading-rooms ;  the  "  Encyclopaedia 
Britannica  "  is  there,  and  the  corresponding  Chinese 
article,  so  enormous  that  it  took  months  to  label  its 
volumes ! 

That  the  old  temper  is  not  dead  was  seen  a  few  days 
after  we  left  the  city.  Trouble  had  been  brewing 
from  a  rise  in  the  price  of  rice,  purposely  advanced  by 
the  rich  to  discredit  the  governor,  and  affecting  all  the 
city,  and  from  the  local  masons  and  carpenters  object- 
ing to  outside  workmen  coming  to  erect  foreign  houses 
and  government  buildings  in  foreign  style.  The  match 
was  put  to  the  train  when  a  woman  drowned  two  chil- 


284  ENTERING  THE  FORBIDDEN  CITY 

dren  rather  than  let  them  starve.  A  crowd  assembled, 
but  was  not  placated  by  the  government  granaries  being 
opened  and  rice  being  sold  cheap;  all  the  officials  were 
mobbed,  and  at  last  the  new  soldiery  had  to  be  called  out. 
They  fired  to  kill,  and  incidentally  killed  two  police,  so 
that  the  police  force  made  common  cause  with  the  crowd. 
Of  course  order  was  restored,  and  the  good  governor 
was  transferred;  but  Changsha  keeps  up  its  reputa- 
tion as  the  most  anti-foreign  city  in  China. 


XIII 
CHENGTU 

PART  I.— CHU-KO  LIANG:    STATESMAN-WARRIOR 

The  ancient  glory  of  Chengtu  bursts  forth  from 
three  effulgent  names,  the  pride  of  the  province:  a 
statesman,  a  poet,  an  engineer.  The  statesman  was 
Chu-ko  Liang,^  who  lived  when  the  independent  king- 
dom of  Shuh  was  here  (modern  Szechwan).  At  that 
time  there  was  a  second  kingdom,  centring  at  Loyang 
(near  the  modern  Honanfu),  and  a  third  at  Nanking. 
Of  this  period,  200-300  a.d.,  a  very  popular  novel  has 
been  written,  and  its  heroes  are  as  well  known  as 
Waverly  or  Rob  Roy.  Indeed,  not  only  the  novel  but 
the  drama  has  also  rendered  this  "  age  of  chivalry  " 
familiar,  and  on  many  a  stage  a  quaint  old  cap,  a  black 
robe  with  a  mystic  golden  symbol  on  the  back,  and  a 
fan  of  feathers  with  the  compass  of  good  luck  in  its 
centre,  betoken  the  presentation  of  the  hero.  The  lad 
was  not  a  native  of  the  kingdom,  coming  from  far-off 
Shantung,  but  being  orphaned  young  he  grew  up  in 
Hupeh,  self-reliant  and  ambitious.  Liu  Pei,  aspiring 
to  the  throne  of  a  kingdom  in  the  general  break-up  of 
the  Han  Empire,  felt  his  need  of  some  counsellor,  and 
came  to  see  the  young  farmer,  who  already  had  a  repu- 
tation more  than  local  for  wisdom.  To  the  front  he 
seldom  went,  but  he  planned  out  campaign  after  cam- 
paign which  mere  soldiers  carried  to  perfection.  There 
is,  however,  one  amusing  scene  often  put  upon  the 

*Chu-Uo  Liang,  181-234  a.d.  In  1724  his  tablet  was  placed  in  the 
Confucian  Temple.  ^  -^  "  Chu-ko  "  is  what  is  known  as  a  double  sur- 
name, and  cannot  be  divided  into  two. 

285 


286  CHU-KO  LIANG 

stage,  of  a  successful  stratagem  which  he  superintended 
in  person.  A  rival  counsellor,  then  in  command  of  an 
army  against  Ts'ao,  obtained  from  him  the  opinion  that 
for  sea-fights  the  bow  and  arrow  were  the  best  weapons. 
He  lamented  that  he  was  ill  supplied,  and  begged  the 
"  Very  Bright  One  "  ^  to  provide  him  with  ten  thousand 
arrows  in  ten  days.  K'ung-ming  noted  the  trick  to  dis- 
credit him,  but  laid  his  plans,  and  prepared  twenty 
boats  piled  high  with  straw  and  well  manned  with 
rowers.  On  a  misty  morning  the  flotilla  put  off  into 
the  stream,  and  when  it  drew  near  the  camp  of  the 
enemy,  beat  the  war  drums  loudly.  The  enemy  rushed 
to  arms,  and,  seeing  in  the  dim  light  nothing  but  huge, 
towering  ships,  discharged  flight  after  flight  of  arrows 
into  the  straw.  When  this  had  lasted  long  enough, 
Chu-ko  withdrew  his  boats,  and  on  the  further  shore 
counted  up  his  spoil.  He  shouted  out  as  he  sailed  off*, 
"  Thank  you  for  the  arrows ! "  The  supply  amounted 
to  a  hundred  thousand,  and  the  mortified  rival  tried  no 
further  tricks  on  one  who  thus  signally  displayed  his 
resource.  In  the  end  his  strategy  availed,  and  Liu  Pei 
was  acknowledged  a  king.  The  general  next  turned  his 
attention  to  foreign  foes,  and  led  an  army  across  the 
hills  to  the  south  into  Burma,  till  the  people  there  were 
intimidated  and  gave  the  new  kingdom  peace  on  that 
side.  Next  he  went  to  the  capital  of  Wu  to  try  and 
arrange  an  alliance  with  that  new  dynasty,  that  the 
two  kings  might  subdue  the  recalcitrant  Ts'ao.  Another 
favourite  scene  is  the  great  argument  sustained  by  the 
**  Very  Bright  One  "  against  all  the  ministers  of  the 
court  of  Wu,  ending  in  convincing  them  and  securing 
the  alliance.  But  Chu-ko  had  underrated  the  diffi- 
culties; supplies  had  to  be  taken  from  Shu  to  feed  the 

'  Chu-ko  Liang  is  popularly  spoken  of  by  his  literary  "  style,"  K'ung- 
ming,  literally,  "Very  Bright  One." 


mma  vft  ^'' 


A.  SPRING   KAIM   IS   WOUTU   AS   MDCU   AS  OIL 


Chengtu  might  be  translated  "A  Perfect  Capital." 


288  LI  TAI  PO 

army,  and  the  means  of  transport  were  insufficient. 
Moreover,  there  emerged  a  strategist  well  his  match,  and 
he  sustained  disastrous  defeats.  On  one  retreat  he  was 
overtaken  in  a  city  whence  the  people  had  fled,  and  he 
had  but  a  mere  handful  of  soldiers.  He  bade  them  fling 
open  the  gates  and  sweep  the  road  in  front,  while  he 
went  up  on  the  gateway  and  played  the  guitar.  As  he 
expected,  the  enemy  knew  not  what  to  make  of  this, 
feared  an  ambush,  and  retreated.  But  his  work  on  the 
whole  was  a  failure,  for  on  a  siege  he  was  taken  ill  and 
died.  His  patron  had  died  earlier,  leaving  a  son  even 
less  capable  than  himself,  and  the  nascent  dynasty  soon 
collapsed  at  the  onset  of  the  king  of  Wei. 

PART  II.— LI  T'AI  PO:    GREATEST  OF  CELESTIAL  POETS 

Military  fame  has  seldom  ranked  highest  in  the  eyes 
of  the  scholars.  But  there  is  other  opinion  than  that 
of  the  literary  classes.  To  prove  that  even  from  their 
limited  stand-point  Chengtu  can  hold  its  own  and 
deserves  commendation,  we  offer  Li  T'ai  Po.^  He 
belongs  to  the  Empire  of  the  T*angs,  when  all  China 
was  again  under  one  ruler,  and,  unlike  Chu-ko,  he  was 
of  the  province  of  Szechwan  by  birth.  As  a  boy  he 
must  have  been  a  prig,  for  when  he  was  ten  he  had 
devoured  much  standard  literature,  and  had  begun  to 
compose  verses.  His  only  relaxation  as  he  grew  up 
was  drinking,  and  he  fell  in  with  other  scholars  of  like 
tastes,  who  formed  themselves  into  a  literary  club, 
"  Six  Idlers  of  the  Bamboo  Brook,"  with  regular 
symposia.  By  this  time  he  had  also  learned  how  to  make 
his  arm  defend  his  head,  and  in  various  discreditable 
adventures  proved  his  prowess  with  the  sword.  On  a 
tour  in  search  of  good  wine  he  was  heard  singing  in  an 
inn  by  a  captain,  who  advised  him  to  devote  himself  to 

"  ;^  ^  Li  Po  is  his  real  name,  T'ai  Po  being  his  "  style." 


Tn08B   WHO  Live  NBAK  RIVH»  CNDBBSTAND  TUB  nSHIS 

a  professional  literary  career.  He  went  to  the  capital, 
Sian  as  we  call  it  to-day,  and  came  in  touch  with  one  of 
the  new  Academy,  the  Hanlin.  With  the  academician 
he  spent  all  one  night  at  an  inn,  drinking  and  capping 
verses ;  so  well  did  he  acquit  himself  that  in  the  morning 
he  found  a  home  with  his  acquaintance.  Announcing 
his  intention  of  entering  for  the  next  examinations,  he 
saw  signs  of  the  rotten  state  of  administration;  it  would 
be  useless  to  compete  unless  he  could  square  the  examin- 
ers. As  he  had  no  money,  this  seemed  bad,  and  the 
academician  tried  a  little  influence.  But  there  was  no 
hint  at  solid  cash,  and  the  examiners  rejected  the  paper 
without  even  troubling  to  read  it,  and  with  bitter 
speeches,  for  which  Li  vowed  revenge.  His  opportunity 
came  in  a  singular  fashion. 

Some  ambassadors  came  from  the  east,  bringing  a 
letter  in  a  script  that  none  could  decipher.  The 
Emperor,  Ming  Huang,  was  angry  at  the  incompetence 
of  his  scholars,  and  threatened  disgrace  if  the  letter 
were  not  read  vdthin  six  days.  When  the  story  was 
brought  home  by  Li's  friend,  the  young  man  declared 
that  he  was  equal  to  the  task,  so  next  day  the  acade- 
mician told  the  Emperor  of  the  offer.  Li  was  sent  for, 
but  declared  that  he  could  not  take  precedence  of  the 
ministers,  when  he  had  not  even  any  degree.  The  bluff 
succeeded,  and  a  special  envoy  conferred  upon  him  the 
degree  coveted,  presenting  him  also  with  a  dress  to 
appear  in  at  court.  On  his  arrival  he  was  handed  the 
letter,  and  after  further  humiliation  of  the  examiners 
he  translated  it.  It  proved  to  be  a  remonstrance  from 
a  Tatar  king,  complaining  of  the  incursion  of  soldiers 
and  demanding  an  apology.  In  the  awkward  pause, 
Li  seized  the  opportunity  and  suggested  an  interview 
with   the    ambassadors    next    day — ^which    of    course 

10 


£90  LI  T*AI  PO 

involved  his  further  attendance  as  interpreter.  Now 
the  Emperor,  luckily  for  Li,  was  as  fond  of  liquor  as 
himself,  and  the  deciphering  of  the  despatch  was  cele- 
brated that  night  by  a  great  revel  in  the  palace,  to  which 
of  course  our  hero  was  invited.  Next  day  he  was  quite 
unfit  for  business,  and  the  Emperor  had  to  send  for 
hot  soup  to  put  him  in  condition,  administering  it  him- 
self off  the  throne.  Encouraged  by  this,  Li  demanded 
that  one  of  the  examiners,  who  was  the  famous  and 
powerful  eunuch,  Kao  Li-shih,  should  pull  off  his  shoes 
and  lace  on  new  buskins — thus  making  that  examiner 
eat  his  own  words.  Then  he  demanded  that  the  other 
grind  the  ink  wherewith  he  should  draw  up  the  letter  in 
reply — paying  him  out,  too,  as  he  had  vowed.  This 
victory  attained,  he  did  the  business  properly,  and  from 
that  moment  became  the  prime  favourite  at  the  disso- 
lute court. 

Fortunately  the  drunkard  had  real  merits,  like  an 
Ayrshire  ploughman  also  known  to  fame,  and  so  he 
not  only  won  ease  at  the  time,  but  acquired  a  reputation 
that  has  endured.  This  was  as  well,  for  his  pranks  gave 
no  small  scandal,  even  when  the  Emperor  himself  lent 
countenance.  From  his  private  life  there  is  no  need 
to  recount  any  more  of  the  tales,  which  are  chiefly 
valuable  in  showing  how  a  great  dynasty  forfeited  the 
respect  of  the  people.  Of  course  the  examiners  were 
deadly  enemies  of  the  man  who  had  put  them  to  open 
shame,  and  at  last  they  contrived  a  quarrel  between 
him  and  the  Emperor's  reigning  favourite.  This  was 
Yang  Kuei-fei,  "  surpassingly  lovely,  and  specially 
noted  as  being  the  only  fat  lady  among  China's  historical 
beauties,"  and  the  heroine  of  Po  Chii-i's  great  poem, 
"  The  Everlasting  Wrong."  *  He  had  to  leave 
in  disgrace,  and  betook  himself  again  to  a  wandering 

*  See  Prof.  Giles'  "  Chinese  Literature,"  p.  167  teq. 


OLBAS  WATER,   nw  FISHES 

life  in  search  of  adventure.  In  a  drunken  bout  on  a 
river  excursion  he  tried  to  embrace  the  moon's  reflection 
in  the  water,  and  was  not  rescued. 

His  poems  are  mostly  as  bacchanalian  as  those  of 
the  Persian,  and  no  commentator  has  arisen  to  announce 
that  they  cover  some  mystic  meaning  of  sound  phil- 
osophy.   But  a  few  breathe  a  better  air. 

THE  TROUBLES  OF  A  TRAVELLER 

(A  Poem  by  Li  Tai  Po,  Translated  by  Dr.  W.  A.  P.  Martin,  and  Dedicated 
to  Dr.  William  Edgar  Geil.) 

[Note.—"  In  the  bright  constellation  of  poets  who  shone  in  the  firma- 
ment of  the  T'ang  dynasty  no  star  was  brighter  than  that  of  Li  T'ai  Po, 
nor  has  any  one  since  arisen  in  China  to  eclipse  or  even  to  rival  his  glory. 
Confessedly  the  brightest  genius  in  a  nation  given  to  the  making  of 
mechanical  verse  for  thousands  of  years,  his  lyrics  are  admired  chiefly 
for  their  spontaneous  freshness.  His  poem  on  '  A  Traveller's  Mishaps ' 
was  probably  written  in  reference  to  his. own  personal  experiences,  either 
when  accompanying  the  Emperor  on  a  visit  to  Nanking  or  on  various 
occasions  when  he  visited  the  Northern  Capital  to  compete  for  literary 
honors.     He  is  classed  among  the  poets  of  Szechwan. 

"  The  following  stanzas  are  occupied  with  three  mishaps,  the  first 
of  which  was  an  attack  by  robbers;  the  second,  detention  by  floating  ice; 
the  third,  a  bitter  disappointment  in  his  attempt  to  climb  to  the  top  of 
T'ai  Shan.  A  fourth,  less  serious,  was  when  angling  in  a  brook  made 
famous  by  Chiang  T'ai  Kung,  the  minister  of  W§n  Wang,  founder  of 
the  Chou  dynasty."] 

At  meat  I  sat  in  lordly  hall, 

A  weary,  hungry  guest. 
When  forced  to  drop  my  cup  and  dish 

And  miss  my  needed  rest. 

With  sword  and  shield  through   anxious  hours 

I  paced  the  rampart  high. 
And  strained  my  eyes  on  every  side 

A  lurking  foe  to  spy. 

To  reach  the  river's  bank  I  push; 

The  boat  beyond  is  seen. 
Yet  must  I  camp  and  wait  a  week 

With  floating  ice  between. 


9»ft  LI  PING 

Olympus'  peak  I  strive  to  scale. 

To  scan  the  world's  wide  face, 
But  blinding  snow  blots  out  the  view. 

And  back  my  steps  I  trace. 

Like  princely  fisherman  of  yore 

Beside  a  babbling  brook, 
I  sit  upon  a  mossy  bank 

And  drop  my  baited  hook. 

Then  suddenly  a   favouring  breeze 

Calls  me  to  spread  my  sail 
To  try  again  the  treacherous  seas 

And  tempt  a  furious  gale. 

How  oft  in  danger  and  despair 

Do  hapless  travellers  roam ! 
By  land  or  sea  alike  unsafe! 

Why  don't  I  stay  at  home.'' 

Pearl  Grotto,  Westerk  Hills,  near  Peking, 
July  5,  1910  A.D. 

PART  III.— LI  PING:  THE  GREAT  IRRIGATOR 

Chu-ko  Liang,  Li  T'ai  Po,  and  Li  Ping,  these  three: 
but  the  greatest  of  these  was  Li  Ping,  who  shed  lustre 
on  the  province — that  is,  if  it  be  true  that  he  who  makes 
two  blades  of  grass  grow  where  only  one  grew  before  is 
the  real  benefactor  of  mankind.  While  his  work  is 
evident  all  over  the  plain  and  throughout  the  capital, 
yet  to  understand  it  at  its  head  we  must  journey  one 
hundred  and  twenty  li  from  Chengtu,  up  a  stream  due 
to  this  old  hero.  He  flourished  shortly  after  divers 
kingdoms  were  absorbed  into  an  Empire,  so  that  his 
work  has  stood  the  test  of  centuries. 

He  found  quantities  of  valuable  water  running  to 
waste  down  on  the  west,  while  eastward  stretched  a 
plain,  fairly  level,  which  could  absorb  a  large  quantity 


S  T  PB  **•* 


ir  TDK   ANTS   FIOHT   IT   WILL   RAIN 


and  repay  in  abundant  verdure.  The  river  Min  '^ 
emerged  from  deep  gorges  to  the  plain,  and  at  once 
split  into  two  channels  running  nearly  due  south.  He 
determined  to  dam  it  and  divert  the  waters  to  the  east 
and  northeast.^  Recognising  that  any  artificial  dam 
would  be  exposed  to  enormous  strain,  especially  at 
freshet  times,  he  adopted  several  ingenious  devices. 
The  most  surprising,  and  the  most  successful  in  main- 
tenance, was  cutting  through  a  hill,  so  that  not  a  fragile 
earthen  mole  but  the  natural  rock  should  bear  the  brunt 
of  the  diverted  waters.  Once  these  were  coaxed  into  the 
new  direction,  it  proved  easy  to  construct  many  chan- 
nels, the  two  chief  leading  to  the  north  and  south  gates 
of  Chengtu,  while  from  all  three  subsidiary  canals  grid- 
iron the  plain.  It  is  astonishing  to  notice  that  without 
any  reservoirs  or  locks  the  waters  of  the  Min  have 
thus  been  led  into  the  system  of  another  river,  and  not 
only  irrigation  but  cross-country  navigation  is  much 
simplified. 

But  every  mountain  river  brings  down  huge  quan- 
tities of  silt,  and  if  this  be  allowed  to  settle  at  leisure, 
the  bed  will  rise,  and  the  banks  must  be  raised  to  cor- 
respond, till  after  many  years  the  river  may  flow  at  a 
great  height  above  the  soil.  This  is  easily  seen  by  all 
who  travel  in  North  Italy,  with  the  Po;  on  a  larger 
scale,  the  engineering  of  Holland  is  far-famed,  to  keep 
the  banks  of  the  Rhine  and  its  subsidiary  channels  in 
good  repair ;  the  dwellers  on  the  lower  Mississippi  know 
the  need  of  watching  their  levees  lest  an  untimely  burst 

'  This  is  one  of  the  four  rivers  which  give  the  province  of  Szechwan 
its  name.     The  other  three  are  the  Yalung,  the  Ch'ung,  and  the  Kialing. 

•The  Author  acknowledges  his  personal  obligation  to  James  Hutson, 
Esq.,  for  pointing  out  important  features  at  Kwan  Hsien,  in  addition 
to  procuring  for  him  rubbings  of  twenty-eight  important  tablets,  which 
will  appear  in  another  work. 


294  LI  PING 

send  the  flood  far  across  country;  and  the  vagaries  of 
the  Hwang-ho  have  given  it  the  name  of  "  China's  Sor- 
row." Now  to  obviate  all  these  difficulties  there  is  one 
simple  plan — simple,  but  not  often  thought  of  in  time, 
not  patiently  and  regularly  carried  out;  all  honour  to 
Li  Ping  that  he  recognised  the  need  and  ensured  its 
observance.  "  Dig  the  channels  deep;  keep  the  hanks 
low  " — such  was  the  simple  motto  that  he  devised.  And 
so  year  by  year  there  is  a  great  festival,  supervised  by 
the  head  water  engineer,  to  ensure  the  good  order  of  the 
system  for  another  twelve  months. 

When  the  season  of  low  water  arrives,  large  tripods 
of  heavy  beams  are  sunk  across  the  western  half  of  the 
river,  up  the  gorge,  deflecting  what  water  remains  into 
the  irrigation  channels.  The  beams  are  weighted  down 
with  stones  and  are  arranged  on  a  slant.  While  the 
natural  bed  is  thus  laid  nearly  dry,  navvies  clear  out 
the  shingle  and  secure  a  good  overflow  channel.  The 
banks  are  then  stripped,  and  new  fascines  are  woven  of 
bamboo,  filled  with  stone,  and  packed  carefully  for 
some  distance  down  this  channel.  Due  preparation 
thus  being  made,  the  tripods  are  removed  and 
rearranged  across  the  eastern  side  up  stream,  so  as  to 
send  all  the  water  down  the  newly  scoured  overflow 
and  lay  dry  the  irrigation  channels.  The  same  process 
is  then  pursued  with  them  for  the  distance  of  nearly  a 
mile.  Down  the  navvies  dig  till  they  arrive  at  iron 
pillars  laid  in  the  bed  to  mark  the  proper  level;  other 
squads  strip  the  banks  and  prepare  fresh  facings  of 
fascines  full  of  stone;  the  main  dam  which  slants  from 
the  west  toward  the  cleft  mountain  is  rebuilt,  and  at 
length  the  artificial  works  have  been  reconstructed 
throughout.  Doubtless  the  same  opportunity  is  taken 
by  all  the  villages  eastward  to  repair  their  local  water 
courses,  and,  while  there  is  no  water,  to  ensure  that  the 


n^^mi^BM  *** 


BAIN   AT  DAWK   HSANB  ▲  SITMNT  DAT 


channels  are  dredged  down  to  standard  level.  It  must 
correspond  to  the  slack  time  of  English  farming,  when 
carts  are  painted,  hedges  are  clipped,  and  ditches  are 
cleansed,  only  it  is  of  far  more  vital  importance  to  carry 
out  the  irrigation  repairs  and  get  them  down  at  the 
due  season.  The  great  channels  and  other  works  show 
that  the  rulers  had  at  their  disposal  the  labour  of  a 
numerous  and  willing  population. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  immediately  around 
these  waterworks  there  has  grown  up  a  great  and  im- 
portant centre.  The  main  road  from  Chengtu  to 
Tibet  comes  between  the  two  channels,  and  crosses  the 
main  canal  up  to  the  northern  half  of  the  cleft  hill. 
There  is  established  the  county  town,  walled,  and  pro- 
viding a  daily  market,  a  very  unusual  state  of  things. 
About  ten  thousand  people  are  to  be  found  here  regu- 
larly. The  main  road  goes  westward  still  across  the 
puentes  de  mimhres  ^  gorge  by  a  handsome  suspension 
bridge  woven  of  the  useful  bamboo. 

But  the  feature  of  the  hill  that  is  at  once  most  attrac- 
tive and  most  creditable  is  a  temple — not  to  the  Buddha, 
nor  to  any  of  the  average  idols ;  the  worship  here  is  paid 
to  Li  Ping's  son,  who  has  been  deified  under  the  title 
Erh  Wang,  "  Second  Prince."  In  the  fifth  and  sixth 
moons  of  each  year  crowds  of  pilgrims  come  from  all 
over  the  plain,  and  even  beyond,  to  pay  homage  to  their 
great  benefactor.  Cocks  and  incense  paper  are  the 
favourite  offerings  to  make,  and  the  crowds  who  come 
to  pay  vows,  or  to  register  them,  must  amount  to  tens 
of  thousands  every  year,  men,  women,  and  children. 

The  temple  itself  is  of  extreme  beauty,  for  situation, 
design,  and  execution.  There  are  magnificent  carvings, 
with   rich  lacquer- work   and  many  votive   offerings. 

» Bridge  of  Withes. 


296  LI  PING 

Indeed,  to  be  more  exact,  there  are  two  Li  Ping  temples, 
one  to  the  father  who  designed  the  whole  irrigation  and 
began  it,  the  other  to  his  son  who  completed  it.  Chinese 
custom  demands  that  the  merit  of  the  son  shall  accrue  to 
the  father,  and  some  amusing  squabbles  have  had  to 
be  composed  on  this  account.  Lately  the  question  has 
been  solved  by  the  government  in  an  unexpected  way. 
Although  the  county  town  is  well  stocked  with  temples, 
there  has  been  a  great  overflow  of  idols,  and  some  have 
been  housed  in  the  Erh  Wang  temple.  Now  the  govern- 
ment has  taken  possession  of  the  whole,  has  cleared  out 
some  of  the  greedy  priests,  and  has  appropriated  the 
lands  of  the  lower  temple,  opposite  the  whirlpool,  for 
new  buildings  connected  with  the  silkworm  hatchery. 
An  important  section  of  the  upper  and  main  temple, 
consecrated  to  the  son,  has  been  swept  bare  of  the  intru- 
sive idols;  the  metal  ones  have  been  housed  elsewhere, 
while  the  earthen  ones  generally  fell  to  pieces  in  removal 
and  had  to  be  decently  interred.  Then  offices  for  the 
waterworks  were  fitted  up  in  the  vacated  space,  and  so 
the  temple  became  better  than  ever  a  memento  of  the 
great  water  engineer.  It  is  surely  the  most  reasonable 
religion,  one  that  a  child  can  understand — nothing 
magical  and  mysterious,  quite  a  triumph  of  common- 
sense;  and  therein  it  marks  the  quality  of  the  Chinese 
mind.  Materialism,  worship  of  the  tangible,  regard 
for  wealth  and  the  means  of  its  production,  such  will 
satisfy  many  minds;  but  just  when  all  seems  subdued  to 
a  dead  level  of  reasonableness,  there  will  arise  some 
Whitefield  who  appeals  to  the  deeper  need  and  awakens 
an  amazing  response. 

For  the  present,  however,  the  worship  of  Li  Ping 
holds  its  own,  with  the  ritual  but  little  varied  from  the 
old  custom.  When  all  the  annual  repair  is  over  and  the 
channels  are  lowered  to  their  proper  level,  the  superior 


Shrine  built  m   Oi  d  I^adies  at  the  Sotjth-Gate-Bridge,  over  one  of 
Lipixg's  Canals,  at  Kwanhsiex. 


llr   IT   RAIN8  AT  BBEAKFAST   'tWILL   RAIN   TILL   THS  CHICKENS  ROOST 

officer  comes  from  the  capital,  and  at  dawn  performs 
worship  in  the  temple,  with  incense  and  candles  and 
sacrifice.  Being  duly  paid  his  fees  by  the  inferior 
oflScials,  he  proceeds  to  the  bank,  where  the  great  triopds 
form  the  temporary  piers  which  hold  up  the  dam  of 
matting  and  clay.  To  each  tripod  is  attached  a  stout 
cable  manned  by  a  gang  of  coolies.  By  a  strong  pull 
all  together  the  tripod  is  overset,  and  the  rush  of  water 
soon  carries  away  the  sheeting  of  mats  and  clay.  Chil- 
dren run  down  to  build  castles  in  the  bed  that  runs  dry, 
old  and  sick  people  fling  stones  into  the  vivifying  flood, 
trusting  thus  to  ensure  themselves  a  year  of  health, 
while  the  magistrate  starts  at  once  on  his  overland 
journey  back  to  Chengtu,  that  he  may  greet  the  arriv- 
ing waters,  as  he  started  them  on  their  way.  Super- 
stition accounts  that  should  he  lose  in  the  race  some 
evil  will  befall  him,  if  not,  indeed,  the  province. 

The  channels  being  thus  refilled,  agriculture  takes 
on  a  new  phase,  and  on  every  stream  except  the  most 
southerly,  boats  and  rafts  begin  to  carry  down  the  pro- 
duce of  the  countryside  to  the  capital.  Chengtu  draws 
its  supplies  of  fuel  from  the  hills,  where  charcoal-burn- 
ers ply  their  trade  and  even  coal  is  mined.  The  very 
dust  of  the  coal  is  shot  into  deep  pits  and  covered  with 
earth,  then  set  to  smoulder  at  the  bottom;  when  the 
mass  is  red-hot,  a  stream  of  water  is  turned  in,  and 
amid  clouds  of  steam  the  glowing  mass  splits  into  long 
flakes  or  bars.  Perhaps  this  ancient  method  may  give 
a  useful  hint  to  Western  mine-owners.  And  yet  what 
Dr.  Johnson  wrote  of  Americans  has  often  been  said  of 
the  Chinese:  "A  race  whom  no  other  mortals  could 
wish  to  resemble." 

It  will  readily  be  understood  that  the  worship  of 
Li  Ping  does  not  exclude  worship  elsewhere,  since  even 


298  LI  PING 

in  his  own  temple  there  were  other  gods  as  lodgers. 
Here  are  two  ancient  prayers,  drawn  up  some  nine  hun- 
dred years  ago  and  offered  to  the  God  of  Nature,  with 
the  Buddha  as  intercessor.    This  is  most  remarkable. 

"  This  spring  we  have  had  insufficient  sunlight, 
and  the  rain  has  not  come  in  time.  The  wheat  has 
not  matured,  and  now  is  threatened  with  drought. 
The  ground  does  not  yield  its  wealth,  nor  can  it  be 
ploughed.  Men's  hearts  are  troubled,  and  the 
country  is  unquiet.  Trembling,  we  confess  how 
inscrutable  is  the  mind  of  Heaven.  We  rely  on 
the  power  of  the  Buddha  to  aid  us  as  we  look  up 
to  the  God  of  Nature,  that  he  may  cause  the  clouds 
on  our  west  to  yield  soft,  refreshing  showers,  that 
our  fields  may  yield  an  hundred  kinds  of  grain, 
that  our  wants  may  be  supplied,  that  the  year  may 
be  prosperous." 

"  Most  merciful  is  Heaven.  Already  have  we 
had  the  promise  of  a  plentiful  year,  but  our  officials 
have  no  virtue  to  recommend  them,  and  again  have 
they  provoked  a  bitter  excess  of  rain.  We  now 
desire  to  send  up  our  painful  cry,  and  once  more 
to  invoke  the  Majesty  of  Heaven.  We  humbly 
reflect  that  this  province  is  far  from  the  Imperial 
Court.  Often  are  the  people  in  straits  for  food 
and  clothing,  and  how  much  more  when  of  late  we 
have  had  successive  years  of  famine.  I,  your 
servant,  stupid  and  ignorant,  share  in  the  great  dis- 
tress of  the  nation.  We  pray  accordingly  that  in 
return  for  the  last  spring  planting  there  may  be 
harvest,  and  that  we  may  together  look  forward 
to  a  double  ingathering  as  the  autumn  falls." 

These  prayers  are  not  only  written  in  the  stately 
language  of  a  by-gone  age,  but  they  reveal  a  type  of 


MO  IIATTIK  HOW   HIGH  THK   WAVES,   SIT  TIGHT  ON   TBK  tISHlMO 
8T0MB 

religion  that  is  rare  in  the  provinces,  and  is  best  known 
by  the  annual  worship  performed  by  the  Emperor  at 
the  Temple  of  Heaven.  Idols  are  not  officially  coun- 
tenanced in  the  state  religion,  but  are  so  rife  among  the 
people  that  it  is  a  relief  to  come  upon  relics  of  this  purer 
worship,  or  the  honour  paid  to  such  benefactors  as  Li 
Ping.  These  prayers  give  an  instance  of  the  official 
confessing  his  sins,  and  trusting  that  this  may  avail  for 
the  people.  Such  vicarious  action  is  expected  of  the 
officials ;  and  instances  are  not  unknown  where  they  have 
in  words  expressed  themselves  as  ready  to  die  for  their 
people,®  and  even  have  ascended  an  altar  in  the  attitude 
of  a  victim.  It  does  not  seem  to  have  struck  many  that 
it  is  nobler  and  more  useful  to  spend  their  lives  honestly 
in  the  service  of  the  people,  and  that  Li  Ping  has  left 
them  an  illustrious  example,  both  of  true  devotion  and 
of  the  gratitude  it  inspires  throughout  the  ages. 
"  Dig  the  channels  deep ;  keep  the  banks  low,"  is 
inscribed,  and  wisely,  in  a  hundred  different  places 
around  the  head  waters  of  the  great  hydraulic  engi- 
neer's works. 

PART  IV.— PRODUCTS 

Chengtu,  the  capital  of  the  "  Banner  Province  **  of 
Szechwan,  lies  toward  the  western  limit  of  population. 
Marco  Polo  has  left  an  account  of  it  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  when  he  found  it  "  very  great  and  exceeding 
rich."  But  since  his  day  it  has  undergone  many  and 
considerable  changes.  When  the  Manchus  conquered 
the  land,  this  district  was  slow  to  submit,  and  the  "  rebel- 

■  Washington  said:  "If  I  know  my  own  mind,  I  could  offer  myself 
a  living  sacrifice  to  the  butchering  enemy,  provided  that  would  contribute 
to  the  people's  ease:  I  would  be  a  living  offering  to  the  savage  fury 
and  die  by  inches  to  save  the  people." 


300  PRODUCTS 

lion  "  was  put  down  in  the  thorough  way  that  charac- 
terises most  Eastern  peoples.  So  thorough  were  their 
methods  that  a  new  population  had  soon  to  be  provided, 
and  from  all  quarters  there  poured  in  settlers  who  were 
the  ancestors  of  the  present  people.  Of  the  former 
inhabitants  only  relics  are  to  be  found  scattered  about. 
Such  an  immigration  has,  of  course,  resulted  in  a  sturdy, 
reliant  people,  free  from  much  of  that  conservatism 
which  comes  from  clinging  to  the  soil.  Some  of  the  best 
stocks  in  the  world  come  from  transplantation,  such  as 
those  which  have  peopled  America. 

To-day  the  walls  enclose  an  oblong  city,  lying  nearly 
east  and  west.  Outside  the  walls  are  watercourses.  In 
a  few  years  two  or  three  profitable  lines  of  railway  will 
converge  here;  at  present  the  traffic  is  water-borne,  or 
by  men  and  mules.  All  around  is  evidence  of  intense 
culture.  Rain  often  freshens  the  plain,  but  the  fertility 
and  productiveness  of  this  rich  region,  which  is  the 
setting  for  the  capital  of  the  largest  province  in  Cathay, 
is  due  largely  to  irrigation,  to  Li  Ping's  hydraulic 
works. 

During  our  visits,  and  particularly  while  crossing 
and  recrossing  this  fertile  tract,  our  interest  lay  heavy 
on  the  grains  and  other  products  of  the  plain.  The 
population  of  the  remote  Four  Streams,  reckoned  at 
over  fifty  millions,  requires  an  enormous  supply  of  food- 
stuffs, even  if  the  proverbial  Chinese  two  meals  a  day 
prevail. 

The  variety  of  the  produce,  and  the  quaintness  of 
many  of  the  names  when  translated  literally,  will,  we 
hope,  prevent  any  weariness  while  the  long  list  passes  in 
review.  The  "  Annals  of  the  Chengtu  District " 
enumerate  and  describe  the  products  of  the  plain  as  fol- 
lows: 


WHKN   TBK   WATKRS  RISK  THE  BOATS  RISK  ALSO 

Food  Cereals.  Among  these  rice  takes  the  lead. 
There  is  a  kind  called  "  white  hemp  rice,"  from  its 
resemblance  to  hemp-seed;  also  "flower-grained," 
**  wild  goose,"  "  red  lily,"  and  "  fragrant" :  these  all 
are  late  crops.  (The  meaning  is  that  they  ripen  late, 
though  planted  early.)  Of  those  that  quickly  come  to 
maturity  may  be  mentioned  the  "  sixty  day,"  the 
"  eighty  day  early,"  and  the  "  hundred  day  early."  Of 
grains  used  for  making  liquor  the  principal  is  a  sort  of 
glutinous  rice  called  no  ku.  There  are  also  several 
varieties  called  "  snake-eye,"  "  pig's  fat,"  "  red  wine," 
•'  tiger-skin,"  *'  yellow  silk,"  "  swallow-bill,"  and 
"  sword-point "  rice,  and  three  kinds  of  white  rice 
resembling  no  ku  but  inferior  in  quality. 

Wheat  comes  next.  Barley  the  Chinese  call  "  great 
wheat " ;  common  wheat  is  "  small  wheat,"  of  which 
there  are  two  varieties,  the  bearded  and  the  beardless, 
and  a  variety  called  "  oily." 

Of  millet,  the  kaoliang  (literally,  "  high  stalk,"  or 
Barbadoes  millet)  comes  first,  followed  by  Ali  Baba's 
invaluable  grain,  sesamum,  of  which  there  are  two 
varieties,  black  and  white ;  it  is  used  chiefly  for  making 
oil  employed  in  cooking,  likewise  for  lamps  before  the 
introduction  of  mineral  oil.  A  Chinese  expression  for 
inflammation  of  the  eyes  accompanied  by  the  secretion 
of  wax  is  "  oil  of  sesamum,"  meaning  that  the  student 
has  had  too  much  lamp-oil. 

Beans.  There  are  yellow  (great  and  small),  black 
(great  and  small),  white,  string,  (literally,  "silk 
beans  " ) ,  vermillion,  and  green  beans. 

There  are  also  "  bowl  beans,"  or,  in  Chinese,  waU' 
dou,  called  by  foreigners  peas.  The  varieties  are  red, 
white  hemp,  climbing,  and  "  sheep's  eye." 

Textile  Plants.  Fire  hemp,  water  hemp,  and  cot- 
ton of  many  varieties  are  found. 


302  PRODUCTS 

Edible  Plants.  There  is  ginger,  the  sort  Confu- 
cius was  never  tired  of  eating;  also  red  pepper  (the 
Chinese  use  enormous  quantities  of  it),  black  pepper, 
and  sea-pepper  (originally  imported),  onions,  garlic, 
and  lo-po  ® — a  very  convenient  word.  When  you  see  a 
turnip  you  call  it  a  lo-po;  when  you  see  a  radish  it  is 
also  a  lo'po;  while  all  sorts  of  beets,  red,  white,  sweet, 
sour,  are  all  described  as  lo-po,  and  a  delicious  cucum- 
ber is  nothing  but  lo-po!  The  other  distinctions  are 
not  here  given. 

Cabbage,  called  pai  ts'ai,  which  means  "  white  vege- 
table," is  found  in  several  varieties.  There  are  lily 
flowers,  and  hsiin,  meaning  the  tender  shoots  of  the 
bamboo,  which  form  the  most  delicious  vegetable,  in 
early  spring  produced  in  great  quantity  without  special 
cultivation.  The  flavour  resembles  that  of  the  first 
green  corn ;  its  appearance  is  like  that  of  a  giant  variety 
of  asparagus.*®  Finally  there  is  "  dragon's  beard,"  the 
common  name  of  asparagus ;  also  yams,  literally  known 
as  "  hill  medicine." 

Melons.  Pumpkins  are  called  "  winter  melons  " ; 
squashes  are  "  sweet  melons  " ;  watermelons  are  com- 
monly described  as  "  western  melons,"  hsi-kua  in 
Chinese,  and  are  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  China 
by  the  Ouigours.  There  is  a  very  interesting  point  in 
this  connection.  It  has  been  suggested,  with  great 
probability,  that  the  sound  hsi-kua  really  represents 
the  Greek  word  oikua,  meaning  a  melon.  By  a  curious 
coincidence  the  Chinese  hsi-kua  means  "  western  melon," 
so  the  name  is  doubly  appropriate. 

Fruits.  These  are  plums,  apples,  pears,  and  the 
"  tree  melon,"  meaning  the  quince.    The  pomegranate 

•The  varieties  of  lo-po  are  generaUy  distinguished  thus:  white  lo-po, 
or  turnips;  yellow  lo-po,  or  carrots;  red  lo-po,  or  radishes. 
We  are  very  doubtful  as  to  lo-po,  being  used  for  cucumbers,  the  ordinary 
term  for  which  is  huang  ktia,  or  hu-kua. 

"For  the  various  uses  of  bamboo,  sec  "A  Yankee  on  the  Yangtze." 


^M^)\\ 


303 

WHBN   OLD   UOS'T  QO  TO   SZKCaWAIC 


is  shih-liu.  Then  come  the  peach,  the  apricot,  the 
cherry;  p'i  p'a,  the  loquat  {Eriohotrya  japonica),  a 
small,  sweet  fruit  with  smooth  skin  and  large  seed,  for 
which  we  have  no  name  in  the  West;  and  grapes,  p'u 
fao  in  Chinese,  a  rude  attempt  to  transfer  the  name 
Portugal,  the  improved  varieties  of  grapes  all  being 
referred  to  the  Portuguese,  who  first  opened  trade  with 
China.  Others  have  derived  the  name  from  the  Greek 
Botpus,  a  cluster. 

Trees.  There  are  the  pine,  spruce,  and  mulberry; 
the  huai  (Sophora  japonica),  a  favourite  shade-tree; 
the  cedar,  cypress,  and  eucalyptus;  the  ailanthus,  of 
two  varieties,  the  fragrant  and  the  stinking;  the  willow, 
of  several  varieties.  Bamboo  comprise  the  speckled, 
dragon,  scaly,  bitter,  purple,  phoenix-tail,  water,  and 
the  fish-line  bamboo,  no  doubt  meaning  by  metonymy 
not  the  fish-line  but  the  fishing-rod. 

Flowers.  Here  we  find  the  oliofragrans,  in  Chinese 
yu  Ian;  the  mountain-tea  flower;  the  fu  gung,  or 
hibiscus,  a  tall  and  showy  plant  with  a  woody  stem ;  the 
night-closing  violet,  of  several  varieties;  roses  of  all 
colours  and  many  varieties,  such  as  monthly  roses,  the 
"smiling  rose,"  and  the  famous  mu  tan  (tree-peony), 
large  and  gaudy,  and  greatly  admired  by  the  Chinese. 

Birds.  The  "  eucalyptus-flower-phoenix-bird "  is 
the  first  on  the  list !  Then  come  the  falcon-hawk,  large 
and  small  (depending  upon  the  age)  ;  the  magpie,  crow, 
sparrow,  swallow,  pigeon,  dove,  and  white  stork;  the 
"  fish- tiger,"  meaning  that  it  is  rather  rough  on  fish; 
the  woodpecker,  large  and  small ;  the  "  old  white  head  " ; 
the  "  protector  of  flowers "  bird,  showing  that  the 
Chinese  recognise  the  usefulness  of  some  birds  in  the 
destruction  of  noxious  insects. 

Fishes.  The  carp  always  heads  the  list,  perhaps 
because  Confucius  gave  his  son  the  name  of  that  fish. 


304  PRODUCTS 

We  are  inclined  to  suspect  some  religious  symbolism. 
The  "  wooden  carp  "  is  a  hollow  piece  of  wood  used  as 
a  night-rattle  in  Buddhist  monasteries.  It  is  shaped 
like  a  fish,  and  is  typical  of  wakefulness,  because  a  fish 
never  closes  its  eyes. 

Then  come  the  "  peach-bloom "  fish,  white  eels, 
blackfish,  "  yellow  gills,"  and  goldfish. 

Of  crustaceans,  there  are  the  tortoise  and  the  crab. 

Serpents.  There  are  several  varieties  described  by 
colour,  and  one  given  as  having  feet,  which  evidently 
means  a  lizard. 

Of  worms,  the  silkworm  deservedly  heads  the  list, 
in  several  varieties  specially  distinguished  as  "  wild  " 
and  "  tame." 

Then  come  butterflies,  and  the  praying  mantis,  an 
insect  with  a  long,  green  body,  its  fore  paws  being  much 
longer  than  its  hinder.  It  makes  motions  as  if  bowing 
down  in  worship,  and  on  meeting  with  an  object  which 
alarms  it,  it  raises  its  fore  legs  for  protection.  The 
Chinese  say  that  it  will  attempt  to  check  the  passage 
of  a  mule-cart,  and  they  consequently  use  it  as  the  image 
of  futile  opposition. 

With  such  a  plentiful  supply  of  food  of  all  kinds, 
the  population  abounds.  No  Malthus  has  arisen,  nor 
do  famines  desolate  the  city  and  cause  foundling  hospi- 
tals to  thrive.  Rather  in  every  alley  can  be  heard  at 
dusk  mothers  crooning  their  little  ones  off  with  lulla- 
bies: 

"  When  a  son  is  bom,  in  a  lordly  bed 
Wrap  him  in  raiment  of  purple  and  red; 
Sceptres  of  gold,  and  playthings  bring. 
For  the  noble  boy  who  shall  serve  the  king. 

"  When  a  girl  is  born,  in  coarse  cloth  wound. 
With  a  tile  for  a  toy  let  her  lie  on  the  ground; 
In  her  rice  or  tea  be  her  praise  or  blame, 
And  let  her  not  sully  her  parent's  good  name." 


^  ^  Mt  km 


305 


IW  TOU   HAVE  MONKT   ANY  PLAOH   TS   TANOCHOW   (TO0   CAN   LIVH 
FAST   ANTWHEEB). 


iThis  is  a  quotation  from  the  "  Odes,"  II,  iv,  5,  8-9: 

"  Sons  shall  be  born  to  him ; 

They  will  be  put  to  sleep  on  couches. 

They  will  be  clothed  in  robes. 

They  will  have  sceptres  to  play  with. 

Their  cry  will  be  loud. 

They  will  be  hereafter  resplendent  with  red  knee-covers. 

The  future  king,  the  princes  of  the  land. 

"Daughters  shall  be  born  to  him; 

They  will  be  put  to  sleep  on  the  groimd. 

They  will  be  clothed  with  wrappers. 

They  will  have  tiles  to  play  with. 

It  will  be  theirs  neither  to  do  wrong  nor  to  do  good; 

Only  about  the  spirits  and  the  food  will  they  have  to  think. 

And  to  cause  no  sorrow  to  their  parents." 

[Note. — The  tile  is  the  emblem  of  the  girl's  future  employment,  when, 
with  a  tile  upon  her  knee,  she  will  have  to  twist  the  threads  of  hemp.] 

The  city  has  a  large  Moslem  contingent.  There  are 
many  new-comers  from  Kansu,  but  the  oldsters  cherish 
the  memory  of  their  Turkish  origin.  Though  they 
point  with  pride  to  pedigrees  of  forty  generations  on 
Chinese  soil,  they  proudly  say  they  are  not  Chinese; 
however  little  may  be  the  Turcoman  blood  in  their  veins, 
yet  they  look  back  to  that  distant  strain,  and  disclaim 
local  nationality.  This  seems  a  very  dangerous  state 
of  mind.  When  the  Jews  speak  thus  in  Europe,  it 
often  leads  to  an  outbreak  of  anti-Semitism;  and  con- 
sidering that  ingrained  in  the  faith  of  Islam  is  the 
doctrine  of  Jihad,  the  Holy  War  for  the  propagation 
of  the  faith,  it  is  evident  that  there  is  here  a  potential 
danger  which  the  Chinese  might  do  well  to  heed  before 
foreign  complications  arise. 

20 


306  FALL  AND  RISE  OF  RELIGION 

PART  v.— THE  FALL  AND  RISE  OF  RELIGION 

Despite  the  fact  that  Chengtu  is  at  the  far  west  of 
the  Empire,  it  is  not  badly  supplied  with  public  institu- 
tions, and  the  visitors  and  colonists  from  the  West, 
America  and  Europe,  are  not  few.  Consuls,  indeed, 
complain  that  there  is  no  enterprise  on  the  part  of 
traders  to  seek  market  here ;  that  few  will  risk  sending 
up  a  boat  freighted  with  new  goods,  and  that  the  prov- 
ince is  left  to  its  own  devices  for  manufactures  and 
mining.  But  though  the  city  of  Chengtu  is  but  small,  it 
has  a  white  population.  Almost  the  whole  of  it  is  asso- 
ciated with  religion.  There  are  six  societies  which 
station  here  six  dozen  regular  workers  of  various  kinds, 
the  medical  element  being  peculiarly  strong.  The 
Canadian  Methodists  are  far  the  most  numerous,  and 
have  been  on  the  field  since  1891,  but  the  China  Inland 
Mission  preceded  them  by  ten  years.  It  is  astonishing 
to  find  so  large  a  force  of  Europeans  and  Americans  at 
such  a  distance  from  their  homes.  To  many  people  the 
journey  to  Shanghai  seems  formidable,  and  it  certainly 
costs  time  and  money,  while  to  a  new-comer  the  sights 
there  must  be  foreign  enough.  Yet  for  a  journey  hither 
that  is  only  the  preliminary  run. 

The  railroad  up  the  Yangtze  will  bring  this  distant 
capital  and  its  400,000  inhabitants  in  easy  touch  with 
Burma  or  Shanghai  or  Peking.  Meantime  there  are 
evident  signs  of  the  change  that  is  passing  over  the  land. 
The  old  curriculum  is  superseded,  and  even  in  remote 
Chengtu  the  whole  plan  of  education  is  new:  new 
schools,  new  premises — often,  indeed,  old  temples 
adapted — and  new  teachers,  the  supply  not  good  as  yet, 
but  sure  to  improve  in  the  next  few  years.  Nor  are  there 
primary  schools  alone;  a  whole  hierarchy  is  planned. 
The  new  temper  in  education  may  be  seen  by 
looking  at  the  examination  papers.    They  used  to  deal 


Hall  of  the  Provincial  Asskmulv  oj    S/i:(  iiwax  at  Chengtu. 
Style  of  architecture  suggests  the  Temple  of  Heaven  at  Peking. 


3^  *  tH*  M,  «s  *  tl  #  J®.         3«7 

HBAVBN   IS  THg   LID   OF  THB   COFFIN,    KABTU    IS  THK  BOTTOM   OF 

THB  COFFIN,   MKN   MAT   KU8H   TO   AND  FRO,    BUT  THBT    ARK   IK  THB 

COFFIN    ALL   THB   SAHB 

with  abstract  questions;  a  sentence  from  the  classics 
would  be  set  as  a  theme  for  a  prize  poem  or  a  prose  essay 
— the  same  literary  method  that  still  obtains  at  Oxford. 
But  a  modern  paper  enquires  about  free  trade  and 
protection,  labour  and  capital,  national  debts,  coinage, 
the  principles  of  naval  power,  and  similar  practical 
topics.  At  one  examination  there  was  a  very  suggestive 
question :  "  How  do  foreigners  regulate  the  press,  the 
post  office,  commerce,  railways,  banks,  bank-notes,  com- 
mercial schools,  taxation;  and  how  do  they  get  trust- 
worthy men? "  This  last  is  the  most  important  part. 
In  this  hurly-burly,  the  old  religions  are  having  to  jus- 
tify themselves. 

"  Szechwan  was  made  a  kingdom  by  the  first  man 
who  ruled  over  the  human  race."  When  a  record  or 
history  begins  with  the  above  claim,  we  feel  discouraged, 
and  fall  not  upon  the  history  so  much  as  upon  the  pres- 
ent. The  Garden  of  Eden  must  have  been  in 
Szechwan ;  our  clue  lies  in  the  very  name  of  the  province, 
which  is  "  Four  Streams." 

Taoism,  as  would  naturally  be  expected,  has  made 
a  great  figure  in  this  mountainous  province.  The  most 
noted  of  Taoist  sages,  Lao  Tzu,^^  belonged  to  this  moun- 
tain region  at  the  opposite  end  of  China  from  Con- 
fucius. One  of  his  followers  bears  the  name  of  "  Li 
800,"  although  he  may  have  been  called  by  this  strange 
name  to  indicate  that  he  was  the  head  of  a  clan  of  eight 
hundred  persons.  Tradition  has  given  it  differently, 
and  represents  that  he  lived  to  the  age  of  eight  hundred 

"Lao  Tzfi  is  said  by  Ssu-ma  Ch'ien  to  have  been  bom  in  Ch'u,  the 
modern    Honan. 


808  FALL  AND  RISE  OF  RELIGION 

years,  in  consequence  of  the  efficacious  medicine  which 
he  picked  up  on  the  hills  of  Szechwan. 

The  names  of  noted  Taoists  are  given  under  several 
succeeding  dynasties,  but  in  general  they  conform  to 
this  type — that  of  the  man  who  has  made  use  of  either 
vegetable  or  mineral  medicines  to  resist  disease  and  pro- 
long life.  Now  and  then  a  slight  variation  is  intro- 
duced by  representing  that  some  one  or  two  of  these 
worthies  have  not  absolutely  forgotten  their  fellow- 
men  in  their  own  selfish  search  for  immortality,  and 
when  they  have  happened  to  do  some  good  act,  as,  for 
example,  the  so-called  "  Old  Man  of  Yi  Chow,"  who 
was  never  observed  to  eat  anything  himself  but 
expended  all  the  money  that  he  got  from  the  sale  of 
drugs  in  relieving  the  wants  of  the  poor,  their  good 
actions  are  supposed  to  count  for  something  in  the  scale 
of  longevity.  Lao  Tzu  would  be  intensely  disgusted 
to  see  his  followers  giving  up  the  lofty  idea  of  restoring 
the  human  body  and  the  human  mind  to  their  pristine 
vigour,  and  degenerating  into  mere  fortune-tellers, 
exorcists,  and  practitioners  of  witchcraft. 

While  the  Taoist  is  of  such  mental  constitution, 
there  is  not  much  future  for  him.  And  the  Buddhists, 
though  so  near  Burma,  seem  not  to  have  much  vitality. 
True,  during  our  stay  ten  monks  took  the  vows,  the  cere- 
monj'^  being  reported  to  include  burning  nine  spots  on 
their  heads,  but  it  is  very  significant  that  the  recent 
appropriation  of  temples  has  not  aroused  much  feeling. 
In  the  new  demands  for  public  buildings  caused  hj  the 
new  ideas  of  education,  it  has  seemed  easier  for  the  offi- 
cials to  clear  out  idols  wholesale  and  use  the  temples  for 
schools  and  offices  than  to  erect  new  edifices.  In  Italy, 
when  the  monks  were  extruded  from  their  convents, 
there  was  a  temporary  outcry,  but  the  general  acquies- 
cence showed  that  in  popular  esteem  these  "  religious 


^  2fc.  ^    a  300 

THB  BUFFALO  LONOS  FOB  THE   MOOH 

orders  "  had  outlived  their  usefulness.  Imagine,  how- 
ever, what  would  be  said  and  done  if  in  America  or 
Britain  there  were  a  general  appropriation  of  churches 
for  common  schools  and  municipal  offices!  The  fact 
that  this  has  been  largely  done  in  China  shows  that  here 
too,  as  in  Italy  and  France,  the  old  religion  has  lost  its 
hold  upon  the  people,  even  in  imagination. 

But  temples  are  not  on  the  same  footing  as  our 
churches.  The  former  have  never  had  anything  par- 
ticularly sacred — intrinsically  sacred — ^about  them,  and 
have  been  used  for  a  variety  of  purposes,  especially  as 
temporary  lodging-places. 

Indeed,  not  only  outside  the  walls  and  at  fair-time, 
but  anywhere  in  the  city,  a  missionary  has  only  to  hire 
a  table  by  the  street  and  sit  down  to  sell  books,  or  talk, 
and  an  attentive  audience  can  be  secured  at  once.  The 
Chinese  is  thirsty  for  all  Western  learning,  and  his 
own  religions  are  under  a  cloud. 

The  oldest  of  all  Christian  missions,  the  Persian, 
has  left  no  trace  here,  unless  it  be  in  some  forms  of  the 
native  religion.  The  Roman  missions  entered  in  1704 
under  an  Italian  Jesuit,  but  within  a  few  years  they 
were  proscribed  and  all  progress  was  by  stealth.  Since 
the  revival  of  1822  the  work  has  gone  on  more 
vigorously,  and  now  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the 
French,  who  have  in  the  province  one  hundred  and 
eighty  workers  from  the  home  land,  which  betokens 
great  activity. 

For  other  work,  take  the  report  of  an  outside 
observer : 

*'  The  people  who  live  by  Method  are  the  chief  of  the 
foreign  devil  teachers.  There  are  two  encampments 
of  them,  in  the  north  and  in  the  south  of  the  city.  They 
are  rich,  very  rich;  they  ride  out  in  chairs,  four-bearer 


310  FALL  AND  RISE  OF  RELIGION 

chairs ;  they  wear  good  clothes,  though  the  patterns  are 
strange.  They  are  not  mean  in  buying,  but  pay  good 
prices.  Their  houses  are  of  new  style,  liigher  than  the 
governor's  and  very  solid.  They  have  good  gardens 
round  the  buildings,  and  foreign  furniture  inside. 
Many  servants  wait  on  them.  They  have  built  inmiense 
houses  for  the  sick,  and  one  of  them  has  a  high  tower 
for  Good  Luck ;  but  we  do  not  understand  this,  and  no 
one  has  yet  been  into  one  of  their  *  hospitals.'  Four 
times  in  each  moon  they  go  to  their  temples  to  worship, 
wearing  skins  on  their  hands.  They  read  and  sing,  with 
marvellous  music  and  instruments,  and  when  they  pray 
at  the  end  they  take  off  their  spectacles.  They  work 
very  hard  to  see  one  another,  to  learn  how  to  speak,  and 
to  entertain  other  foreign  devils  from  other  provinces. 
In  the  last  six  moons  they  have  had  five  meetings  of 
their  friends  to  talk.  This  tires  them  so  much  that  they 
have  to  go  to  the  mountain  for  a  moon  to  recover. 
When  they  come  back,  they  pray  and  write,  and  buy. 
They  teach  schools,  they  mend  teeth,  they  wait  for  sick 
people  in  their  Good  Luck  palace." 

Indeed,  the  Methodist  missions,  whether  the  Ameri- 
can at  one  end  of  the  city  or  the  Canadian  at  the  other, 
are  most  splendidly  equipped  and  staffed.  They  have 
drunk  in  the  spirit  of  the  age,  wear  kid  gloves  in  church, 
and  are  abreast  of  the  latest  requirements  for  all  kinds 
of  work.  It  would  not  be  surprising  to  hear  soon  of  a 
weekly  paper  from  their  printing-press.  They  are 
manifestly  planning,  on  the  same  lines  that  the  Romans 
have  so  long  followed,  to  reach  the  influential  classes 
with  a  great  display  of  all  the  culture  that  has  sprung 
up  in  the  wake  of  Christianity.  Among  themselves  they 
have  a  microcosmic  society,  and,  with  all  the  Chinese  life 
around,  they  evidently  consider  that  they  do  well  to 
uphold  a  high  standard  of  American  etiquette.  New 
ideas  of  missions  are  coming  into  vogue,  and  doubtless 


OABBT   TOU&  OMBBKLLA   WUKN    WSATHKR   IS   FINK;  OABBT   TOOD 
WHBIf    Ton    ARK    NOT    HUNGBT 

appeal  to  new  classes,  which  have  been  left  untouched 
by  the  older  type. 

The  older  style  is  continued  by  such  bodies  as  the 
China  Inland  Mission.  Here  we  see  the  traditional 
underpaid  man,  living  among  and  almost  like  the  people, 
moving  among  them  freely,  not  depending  on  equip- 
ment of  all  kinds,  but  with  earnestness  and  trust  and 
not  infrequently  with  power  just  speaking  out  the 
simple  message  of  salvation  to  the  man  in  the  street. 
And  so  whatever  type  of  mission  is  favoured  can  easily 
be  found  here. 

Educationally  the  outlook  is  uncertain.  As  the 
nearest  Imperial  university  is  to  be  in  a  distant  province, 
the  way  is  open  for  the  many  missions  to  combine  and 
establish  a  strong  Christion  centre  of  learning.  This  is 
an  ideal  province  for  a  great  Christian  university,  but 
at  least  two  million  dollars  is  needed  for  a  beginning. 

It  is  waste  of  time  to  "  start  small  and  grow  large." 
At  this  period  of  Chinese  history  such  a  scheme  would 
simply  bring  down  ridicule  on  the  foreign  devil's  petty 
philanthropy.  Let  the  cultured  Christian  Church  of 
the  Western  hemisphere  cover  herself  with  glory  in  this 
Western  Empire  State  of  the  Hills  of  T'ang! 


THE  YELLOW  CAPITALS 

XIV 
LANCHOW 

PART  I.— THE  PANHANDLE  PROVINCE 

Lanchow  is  the  most  northwesterly  of  the  eighteen 
capitals  of  the  Eighteen  Provinces.  Yet  such  an  amaz- 
ing Empire  is  this  that  Kashgar,  on  the  western  bound- 
ary of  Chinese  Turkestan,  is  as  far  again  to  the  west, 
and  Karakoram,  well  within  the  boundary  of  Mon- 
golia, is  as  far  to  the  north  as  Yunnan  is  to  the  south. 
Lanchow  is  the  centre  of  gravity  of  the  Chinese  Empire. 

But  to  the  west  the  Tibetans  are  not  effusive  in  their 
welcome  of  visitors;  they  have  a  pleasing  habit  of  set- 
ting them  to  ride  the  stang,  or  some  sharp  seat  equiva- 
lent. And  to  the  north  there  is  little  to  tempt  a  tourist 
into  the  Gobi  Desert.  So  Lanchow  is  not  very  far  from 
the  limit  of  civilisation  in  this  direction ;  a  few  hundred 
miles  to  the  west,  or  a  hundred  miles  to  the  north,  and 
the  province  of  Kansu  is  passed. 

Who  wants  to  pass  it?  The  interest  steadily  thins 
out  as  we  bore  into  the  heart  of  Asia  along  this  line. 
The  scenery  is  an  impression  of  snow  in  winter  or  of 
sand  in  simimer,  so  the  globe-trotter  is  not  likely  to 
throng  here  in  his  thousands.  The  breeders  have  only 
learned  to  milk  the  cows  and  mares  and  get  a  peculiar 
sour  curd,  very  popular  now  in  the  West,  or,  when  the 
milk  runs  short,  to  skin  the  animals  and  export  the 
hides.  The  peasants  have  nothing  special  to  grow  or  to 
send  away,  except  rhubarb  and  rebellions,  and  the 
resources  of  the  province  appear  so  meagre  that  there 

S12 


BONOK  MB   OME   rOOT.    AND    i'LL   HONOR   TOD   TKN 


313 


Lanchow,  signifying  "The  District  of  the  Lan  Hwa."     The  "Lan"  is  the 
Aglaia  Odorata,  the  most  fragrant  flower  in  China. 


314  THE  PANHANDLE  PROVINCE 

are  but  some  ten  millions  of  people  in  what  is  one  of  the 
largest  divisions. 

An  inhospitable  section  is  this,  yet  we  have  crossed 
it  from  the  tip  of  the  Panhandle  to  its  extreme  border. 
Dotted  about  in  the  barren  wilderness  are  some  arable 
lands,  but  the  chief  impression  is  of  high,  craggy  peats, 
frosted  with  the  snows  of  years.  There  are  streams, 
all  emptying  into  the  great  Yellow  River  and  raising 
its  level  as  much  as  forty  feet  in  flood-time,  but  none 
of  them  admit  of  ordinary  navigation.  Upwards,  no 
vessel  can  toil  against  the  swirl  of  muddy  water  except 
by  the  painful  tracking  or  towing.  Now  and  again 
rafts  are  sent  down,  but  more  often  single  logs  or 
planks,  and  even  with  these  there  are  frequent  acci- 
dents ;  our  first  near  view  of  the  stream  showed  a  corpse 
swaying  up  and  down  in  a  cleft  of  the  rock. 

Is  the  river  an  emblem  of  the  Empire?  Down  from 
the  fastnesses  of  Tibet,  say  some  who  peer  back  into 
the  dim  past,  came  once  the  people  who  moulded  the 
civilisation  of  the  basin,  and  laid  the  foundations  of 
what  swelled  and  grew  into  the  Central  Kingdom. 
Eastward  ho !  has  been  the  direction  of  culture  till  the 
ocean  was  attained ;  then  southward  ho !  until  once  again 
the  salt  waters  ended  the  advance.  But  those  who  from 
the  south  and  east  have  striven  to  impress  themselves 
have  found  it  but  an  uphill  task. 

Surely  the  river  is  an  emblem  of  Kansu  the  province. 
Its  waters  rush  down  from  the  lofty  lands  of  the  Koko 
Nor  to  meet  the  winds  sweeping  off  the  desiccated  lands 
of  the  Shamo  Desert;  so  from  the  strange  uncanny 
tracts  meet  here  streams  of  influence,  religious,  moral, 
and  commercial,  which  render  an  impressionable  people 
hard  to  understand  and  manage.  These  cliff^s  and 
peaks,  from  the  Cathedral  Spires  to  the  Magic  Meteor, 
have  witnessed  daring  deeds,  doings  unfit  for  the  modern 


BBWABE   DAILY    Of  riRC  :   MIOHTLT   Of  THIJCTM 

page.  This  highland  cavalry  loves  its  liberty,  is  ready 
for  slaughter  and  aggression,  is  turbulent  and  restless, 
but  undeniably  able. 

Three  great  rivers  are  there  in  China,  and  all  of 
them  yellow,  though  this  alone  bears  the  title.  This  and 
the  Yangtze  are  like  a  pair  of  sons,  the  Esau  and  Jacob 
of  the  land.  Esau  the  Yellow — not  the  red  in  this  case 
— is  wild  and  untamable,  fitful,  impetuous,  wasteful. 
No  good  is  he  to  the  peoples  he  dwells  among,  only  a 
terror  not  to  be  reckoned  upon.  The  other  "  Son  of  the 
Empire,"  as  he  is  often  called,  the  smooth  and  plausible 
Yangtze,  enriches  all  that  he  touches.  Verily  the 
Yangtze  has  supplanted  the  elder  in  interest.  Yet 
Chinese  civilisation  began  here;  and  when  we  think  of 
Confucius  the  sage,  of  Yao  the  model  Emperor  in  the 
age  of  myth,  of  Imperial  capitals  at  Loyang  and  Sian, 
all  tempt  the  explorer  to  go  up  and  up  this  stream  to 
seek  the  head  water  of  Chinese  life  and  culture. 

The  Chinese  themselves  have  felt  the  mystic  spell, 
and  tell  how  far  back  in  the  ages  of  long  ago,  a  mighty 
hero  named  Chang  Ch'ien  ^  poled  his  raft  up  the  cur- 

*  Chang  Ch'ien  is  quite  an  historical  personage,  who  was  sent  on  his 
first  mission  to  Bactria  by  the  Emperor  Wu  Ti  about  138  b.c.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Hsiung-nu  and  kept  in  captivity  for  ten  years. 
Having  managed  to  escape,  he  proceeded  to  Kokand,  whence  he  is  said 
to  have  brought  the  walnut  and  the  cultivated  grape  to  China.  He  is 
also  said  to  have  introduced  hemp  and  the  knotty  bamboo  into  China. 

With  regard  to  the  source  of  the  Yellow  River,  which  he  was  com- 
missioned to  discover,  legend  says  that  he  sailed  up  the  stream  for  many 
days,  until  he  reached  a  city  where  he  saw  a  girl  spinning  and  a  youth 
leading  an  ox,  Chang  Ch'ien  asked  what  place  this  was,  and  in  reply, 
the  girl  gave  him  her  shuttle,  telling  him  to  show  it  on  his  return  to 
the  court  astrologer,  who  would  thus  know  where  he  had  been.  He  did 
so,  and  the  astrologer  at  once  recognised  the  shuttle  as  that  of  the 
Spinning  Damsel  (a  Lyrse,  or  the  star  Vega) ;  further  declaring  that 
on  the  day  and  at  the  hour  when  Chang  received  the  shuttle  he  had 
noticed  a  wandering  star  intrude  itself  between  the  Spinning  Damsel  and 
the  Cowherd  (/3  and  7  Aquilae).  Thus  Chang  was  actually  believed  to 
have  sailed  upon  the  bosom  of  the  Milky  Way! 


316  THE  EIGHT  SCENERIES  OF  LAN 

rent,  far  beyond  civilisation,  away  into  the  mountains 
of  Tibet,  till  he  found  the  stream  flowing  out  of  the 
Milky  Way,  or  Heavenly  River.  Whatever  they  think 
of  the  actual  identity  of  the  silvery  band  in  the  sky  with 
the  golden  waters  on  earth,  the  story  is  as  popular  as 
"  Robinson  Crusoe."  The  first  commissioner  sent 
abroad  by  the  present  government  to  see  and  report  on 
foreign  nations  wished  to  imply  that  his  adventurous 
journey  was  as  bold  and  dangerous  as  that  of  the  mythi- 
cal hero,  so  he  published  the  account  of  his  luxurious 
voyage  in  steamship  and  sleeping-car  as  *'  A  New 
Voyage  of  Chang  Ch'ienI  " 

PART  II.— THE  EIGHT  SCENERIES  OF  LAN 

The  city  of  Lanchow  is  prepared  to  try  conclusions 
with  the  whole  ancient  world.  Did  that  have  Seven 
Wonders,  varying  from  the  Colossus  of  Rhodes  and 
the  Hanging  Gardens  at  Babylon  to  the  temple  of 
Artemis  at  Alexandria,  built  like  a  pyramid  to  entomb 
her  husband  in?  Lan  is  ready  to  outbid  the  mere  West- 
ern barbarian,  and  to  produce  Eight  Sceneries  of  her 
own.  We  faithfully  went  and  enriched  our  album 
with  photographs  of  them  all. 

1.  The  Floating  Bridge.  Out  through  the  western 
suburb,  under  the  North  Gate,  a  few  tens  of  feet  bring 
the  traveller  to  the  shore  of  the  river.  Though  so  many 
hundreds  of  miles  from  the  coast,  it  races  along  in  a 
bed  two  hundred  and  fifty  yards  wide,  and  opposes  a 
serious  obstacle  to  peaceful  trade  as  to  foreign  invader. 
Who  first  thought  of  bridging  it?  From  the  log  astride 
which  the  timid  voyager  paddled  over,  or  the  canoe 
which  carried  his  merchandise,  some  bold  inventor 
advanced  to  slinging  a  rope  across  and  hitching  his  boat 
to  it ;  such  an  ingenious  ferry  at  Basel  still  earns  many 
a  cent  from  those  who  would  watch  the  current  drive  the 


.^  Ji  T- » .^  T  =g^  »" 

•nix  HORSEMAN   DOKS  MOT  KNOW  THK  fOOTMAM'S  TBIALS 

boat  across.  Then  came  the  idea  of  using  boat  after 
boat  to  support  a  floating  bridge;  and  when  Xerxes 
thus  tamed  the  Hellespont,  he  was  but  infringing  a 
patent  of  Lan. 

Four  and  twenty  barges,  each  forty  feet  long,  are 
threaded  together  with  hawsers,  twelve  of  straw  and 
three  of  hemp,  each  six  inches  in  diameter ;  and  two  heavy 
iron  chains,  wrought  locally,  add  security  to  the  whole. 
There  seem  to  be  no  anchors  for  the  separate  boats,  but 
the  whole  strain  is  taken  by  these  continuous  cables, 
which  are  moored  on  either  bank  to  twenty-four  wooden 
posts  and  two  hollow  columns  of  cast  iron.  From  boat 
to  boat  a  staging  is  thrown,  and  on  this  loose  planks  are 
laid  for  the  deck.  This  is  fenced  roughly,  and  provides 
easy  passage  for  a  cart,  while  two  may  squeeze  past 
with  some  difficulty.  A  constant  flow  of  vehicles, 
animals,  and  men  surges  across. 

Through  many  months  this  structure  serves,  rising 
and  falling  with  the  waters,  till  in  winter  the  strain  of 
the  ice  against  it  is  too  serious.  Then  it  is  parted  in 
the  middle,  and  a  dozen  pontoons  swing  down  either 
bank,  where  they  are  lashed  firm.  A  free  ferry  is  then 
established  by  the  city.  When  in  spring  the  floes  have 
cleared  away,  the  bridge  is  towed  again  into  position  and 
reconstructed;  a  pig  and  a  sheep  are  sacrificed,  and 
the  viceroy  in  person  declares  it  open  for  the  season. 

2.  The  Golden  Hills.  The  bridge  leads  right  across 
to  the  north  bank,  where  a  steep,  low  range  of  loess  hills 
rises  sharply  from  the  river  side.  They  are  as  golden 
as  the  yellow  dust  generally  is;  in  this  country  a  little 
variety  would  occasionally  be  welcome.  At  the  foot  of 
the  hills  cluster  now  manj^  houses,  occupied  almost 
entirely  by  Moslems.  Their  frequent  risings  have 
brought  about  a  law  whereby  they  are  debarred  from 


318  THE  EIGHT  SCENERIES  OF  LAN 

living  in  the  city,  and  they  are  increasingly  gathering 
opposite,  where  their  flat-roofed  houses  strike  a  note 
different  from  that  of  China  generally.  Above  them 
are  the  familiar  curved  eaves  of  two-story  buildings, 
which  prove  to  be  mostly  temples,  with  inns  scattered 
about.  Indeed,  temples  are  being  often  converted  into 
inns,  if  any  conversion  is  needed.  Foot-paths  diversify 
the  face  of  the  hills,  sometimes  decked  out  with  halting- 
places  ;  but  no  tree,  no  verdure,  no  cultivation,  is  allowed 
to  detract  from  the  pure  gold  of  the  loess. 

3.  The  Golden  Hill  Pagoda  crowns  the  crest  of  the 
little  range.  There  certainly  is  a  convenience  in  having 
three  of  the  Eight  Sceneries  placed  so  compactly.  And 
without  doubt  this  forms  a  striking  climax  to  the  group, 
doing  some  credit  to  the  scenic  sense  of  the  geomancer 
who  selected  this  lucky  spot.  But  on  somewhat  closer 
examination  it  is  rather  suggestive  of  an  eight-storyed 
lighthouse  on  the  edge  of  a  cliff,  with  its  oil  stores  and 
accessories  neatly  walled  in  for  the  commissioners  of 
lights.  It  is  the  Pharos  of  Alexandria  up  to  date.  Lan 
holds  its  own. 

4.  The  Lily  Pool  is  a  recreation  park  reserved  for 
the  officials  of  Lanchow,  a  sort  of  Hanging  Gardens 
of  Babylon.  And  as  the  park  contains  chalets  for  meals, 
built  close  to  the  Great  Wall,  the  effect  distinctly  takes 
up  the  challenge  of  the  builder  by  the  Euphrates. 
Temples  are  dotted  about ;  gardens  grow  vegetables  for 
the  civil  servants  to  carouse  on.  But  the  heart  of  the 
park  is  the  Lily  Pool  itself!  It  is  quite  twent5'^-four 
inches  deep,  and  is  supplied  with  water  by  a  canal 
nearly  as  wide,  which  connects  with  the  river.  Here 
may  be  studied  the  fauna  of  the  neighborhood,  especially 
in  the  shape  of  mosquitoes ;  also  the  flora,  both  alive  and 
decaying.  Pavilions  rise  from  the  lily  waters,  linked 
by  bridges  of  the  most  exquisite  brick-work.    To  those 


riiDto  l.y  Will.  N.  Kiihi. 

Tibetan  Pkayer  Wheel,  southwest  oi'  Lanchow,  near    Jaochow. 


Among  the  "Eight  Sceneries  ok  Lan"  is  the  Wo  Cantilever 
Bridge,  a  footbridge  over  a  small  stream  flowing  to  the  Yellow 
River  just  west  of  Lanchow. 

It  is  70  feet  in  span  and  the  roadway  slopes  steeply  upwards  from  the 
two  abutments  to  a  short  level  stretch  in  mid  span.  The  bridge  is  intended 
only  for  pedestrians,  and  is  really  necessary  only  during  occasional  floods. 
At  ordinary  time  the  water  is  very  low  and  carts  and  animals  in  crossing 
traverse  the  bed  of  the  stream.  The  temples  which  show  beneath  the  bridge 
are  upon  the  hills  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  Yellow  River. 


IiOOK   NOT  AT   WBAT  HK  BATS,    BUT   WHAT  HB  WEAB9 

which  cannot  thus  be  reached  access  may  be  had  by 
a  fleet,  whose  flagship  is  a  square-ended  punt  with  a 
cabin  on  it  for  light  refreshments.  The  Frog-pond  of 
Boston,  so  partriotically  defended  by  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  against  Edgar  Allan  Poe,  cannot  compare 
with  this  fourth  scene  of  Lanchow. 

5.  The  Wo  Bridge.  Confuse  not  this  gem  of  aerial 
architecture  with  the  floating  bridge  over  the  Hwang- 
ho.  This  spans  a  small  stream  just  west  of  the  city,  and 
is  in  permanent  working  order,  not  for  the  summer 
only.  But  to  redress  the  balance,  the  stream  is  usually 
out  of  commission,  so  that  carts  and  animals  cross  the 
dry  bed.  The  bridge  itself  is  reserved  for  pedestrians, 
who  climb  up  either  side  and  find  a  level  stretch  in  the 
centre.  From  shore  to  shore  the  span  is  some  seventy 
feet.  A  roof  adds  to  both  strength  and  beauty,  while 
at  either  end  is  an  entrance  pavilion.  Wood  is  the  chief 
material;  otherwise  it  recalls  one  of  the  most  famous 
bridges  in  Venice  and  the  prison-bridge  at  St.  John's 
in  Cambridge. 

This  style  is  the  next  step  in  advance  beyond  the 
pontoon,  and  probably  was  the  extent  of  the  Roman 
art  when  they  were  so  struck  with  the  divine  art  dis- 
played as  to  make  their  bridge-builder  or  pontiff*  their 
priest.  So  valuable  have  all  races  esteemed  their 
bridges,  that  the  Incas  made  it  a  capital  crime  to 
destroy  one. 

The  many-arched  bridge  does  not  occur  here,  but  in 
the  country  there  may  be  seen  some  primitive  cantilever 
bridges,  where  a  central  pier  supports  by  the  middle  a 
long  stretch  of  roadway,  met  by  another  stretch  from 
the  bank  or  even  from  another  pier,  so  that  a  long  bridge 
of  this  type  is  like  a  series  T  T  T  .  However  good 
as  engineering,  it  will  not  compare  in  grace  with  the 
Wo  Bridge  of  Lanchow. 


320  THE  EIGHT  SCENERIES  OF  LAN 

6.  Five  Spring  Hill.  A  mile  and  a  half  to  the 
south  of  the  city  are  the  Kaolan  Mountains,  and  the 
nearest  point  rises  a  trifle  above  the  rest  of  the  range. 
iThe  upper  part  of  the  hill  is  of  loess,  as  usual.  This 
formation  might  stand  as  a  warning  in  some  Chinese 
Struwwelpeter,  to  show  careless  maids  the  result  of  not 
using  the  duster  daily,  for  it  is  nothing  but  the  dust  of 
ages,  never  taken  away  by  diligent  housewives,  and 
to-day  defying  the  highest  vacuum  cleaner.  Below  the 
loess,  however,  there  appear  here  conglomerate  and 
gravel,  whence  issue  the  Five  Springs  whence  the  hill 
gets  its  name.  Every  spring  a  fair  is  held  at  the  foot  for 
five  days,  when  the  city  populace  streams  forth  for  a  holi- 
day. Candy  and  toys  are  on  the  stalls  for  the  bank- 
holiday-makers,  story-tellers  take  the  place  of  Pierrots 
or  coons  or  nigger  minstrels;  the  little  wooded  valley 
with  its  springs  tempts  some  to  picnic,  others  clamber 
up  the  steep  slope  and  peep  at  the  many  temples  which 
cling  to  the  hill  face. 

7.  Rear  Five  Springs.  Over  the  top  of  the  moun- 
tain the  path  leads  down  to  another  pretty  wooded  val- 
ley. As  it  reaches  the  lower  levels,  other  springs  are 
found  issuing  from  the  same  gravel.  But  a  strange 
erosion  has  occurred,  by  wind  or  water  or  both,  so  that 
a  pillar  of  conglomerate  capped  with  loess  overhangs 
the  springs  for  some  fifty  feet,  making  almost  a  cave 
where  they  take  their  rise.  Down  stream  is  the  ravine 
leading  to  the  Wo  Bridge;  up  the  other  way  may  be 
seen  steep  slopes  thickly  occupied  with  temples,  where 
Buddhist  monks  or  Taoist  priests  count  their  beads  and 
croon  their  prayers  or  otherwise  spend  their  busy  lives. 

8.  Back  in  the  city,  yet  not  in  the  city  proper,  but 
in  the  eastern  suburb,  is  a  Twelve-storied  Pagoda, 
which  is  the  last  of  the  standard  eight  wonders.  There 
is  really  nothing  historic  here,  but  it  is  fairly  orna- 

mpnffll. 


H  ii « 1 « II  '^1 

POTKRTT   DUBS  KOT  SFHIMO  TROU  A  ROOT,   NOB  DOKS  RIOHKS   OIVB 
OUT  SHOOTS 

9,  A  ninth  wonder  ought  to  be  thrown  in,  now  that 
a  modern  steel  bridge  has  been  erected  across  the  river. 
To  them  it  will  indeed  be  a  wonder,  for,  quite  apart  from 
its  material  and  its  structure,  they  will  have  to  learn 
that  steel  is  not  like  stone ;  it  needs  attention  and  paint- 
ing. The  Chinese  build  for  centuries,  and  they  have 
not  yet  grasped  the  fact  that  the  steel  age  is  calculated 
to  turn  out  products  for  only  scores  of  years. 

10.  The  funny  thing  is  that  the  Great  Wall  is  not 
on  the  official  list.  No  other  capital  city  is  so  linked 
with  it,  for  the  city  actually  is  built  against  it,  so  that 
the  Great  Wall  is  part  of  the  city  wall  also.  Evidently 
familiarity  has  bred  contempt,  and  Lanchow  refuses  to 
regard  its  wall  as  a  wonder.  This  is  magnanimity 
indeed;  when  a  little  trifle  of  a  wall,  a  mere  prolonga- 
tion of  the  city  wall  of  a  thousand  miles  or  so,  can  be 
omitted  in  a  catalogue  of  the  city  wonders,  who  will 
dare  enter  into  competition?  Lan  first,  the  rest 
nowhere. 

PART  III.— PAST,  PRESENT,  AND   FUTURE 

1.  Past.  Yet  this  old  wall,  what  does  it  not  recall 
of  the  vanished  ages?  As  we  explored  it  from  end  to 
end,  twice  did  we  come  to  this  city  and  find  it  linking 
itself  with  the  age  of  heroes.  Not,  indeed,  that  the 
original  erection  of  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  ran  here; 
little  or  nothing  of  that  remains  to  be  seen,  and  probably 
it  has  been  reconstructed  out  of  recognition  in  the 
course  of  two  millenniums.  Indeed,  while  there  is  no 
mistake  that  as  things  stand  now  a  bicyclist  can  go  on 
top  of  the  Great  Wall  from  far  Lanchow  out  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean,  it  is  equally  certain  that  he  will  walk 
most  of  the  distance,  and  find  alternative  routes  here 

21 


322  PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 

and  there,  and  only  ninety  miles  to  the  north  he  will  be 
confronted  with  a  junction.  Lanchow  is  on  a  branch  or 
even  a  loop  of  the  Wall,  and  there  is  a  cut-off  which 
leaves  the  Huang-ho  and  goes  due  west  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  miles  till  the  loop  comes  in  sight  again, 
then  turns  north  past  Liangchow  and  meanders  on 
rather  indefinitely.  Very  likely  that  was  the  original 
line,  and  curved  away  into  the  Tibet  highlands  some- 
where in  that  neighborhood.  For  a  fuller  discussion  of 
the  peculiarities  here,  we  must  refer  to  our  recent  book 
on  "  The  Great  Wall  of  China." 

From  the  same  remote  age,  or  even  from  earlier 
times  than  that  of  the  great  Ch'in,  come  down  legends 
that  show  the  thoughts  of  those  distant  peoples.  South- 
west of  Lanchow  is  an  orchard  containing  a  Chess-board 
Tree,  thirty  feet  high  and  four  feet  in  girth,  with  two 
branches  five  feet  long  growing  straight  out  from  the 
top,  curiously  like  chairs.  So  ancient  is  it  that  now  it 
seems  to  be  dead.  The  tale  that  is  told  is  that  when  it 
was  already  aged,  in  the  Han  dynasty,  two  sages 
climbed  it,  and  there  on  the  twin  chairs  played  chess  and 
refreshed  themselves  with  wine.  The  odour  of  their 
wisdom  penetrated  the  tree  as  though  it  were  antiseptic, 
and  has  preserved  it  ever  since. 

Away  in  another  direction,  to  the  north,  is  a  hill 
called  from  olden  days  the  Golden  Hill.  This  is  not 
because  of  the  dull  yellow  loess,  though  indeed  the 
absence  of  all  verdure  leaves  the  soil  bare  and  exposed. 
The  tale  runs  that  long  ago  when  Lanchow  was  the 
capital — of  what?  a  feudal  state  before  Ch'in?  ^ — the 
people  used  to  go  to  this  hill  and  at  the  side  of  the 
river  they  could  collect  gold.  In  the  mountain  were 
golden  cows,  golden  sheep,  golden  hares,  golden  horses, 

'  Under  the  Chou  dynasty  the  region  about  Lanchow  was  inhabited 
by  semi-savage  tribes — the  so-called  Jung  barbarians. 


J^  ^  ^  .i  ;«,  0  ^  ^  A  'il>         ^'' 

DISTANCE   PROVSD   TUB   HOBSE's  STBKNGTH,    AND  TIME   THE    HEART 
OF  MAl^ 

without  number;  but  they  could  only  be  seen  at  the 
dead  of  night,  when  they  came  forth  to  frisk  on  the 
mountain-top  or  to  drink  at  the  river-side.  Not  alone 
were  they  themselves  of  the  precious  metal,  but  their 
very  dung  was  equally  valuable,  and  was  greedily  col- 
lected. Now  a  man  from  the  south  bethought  himself 
he  would  like  to  catch  and  pen  a  goose  that  laid  such 
golden  eggs,  and  he  planned  a  subtle  scheme.  But 
one  of  the  company  taken  to  the  appropriate  spot 
coughed  at  a  critical  moment;  the  herd  scattered,  and 
when  daylight  appeared  naught  was  to  be  seen  but 
divers  large  and  strange  stones.  Temples  were  erected 
— the  whole  hill  is  dotted  over  with  them ;  but  the  most 
earnest  and  persevering  worship  has  never  brought  the 
stone  animals  back  to  golden  life  again. 

Ghostly  stories  of  this  kind  are  very  rife.  Not  all 
are  as  practical  as  this:  A  sick  man  went  to  a  Taoist 
priest  that  he  might  be  advised  as  to  the  choice  of  a 
doctor.  The  priest  gave  him  eye-salves  that  he  might 
be  able  to  see  ghosts,  and  bade  him  go  round  to  the 
houses  of  the  physicians  till  he  came  to  one  where  no 
ghost  haunted  his  former  patron.  He  started  to  find 
a  ghostless  doctor.  The  leading  consultant  had  the 
street  as  full  of  ghosts  as  his  waiting-room  was  full  of 
men.  At  the  door  of  every  fashionable  surgeon  he 
found  throngs  of  ghosts,  paying,  as  it  were,  ancestor- 
worship  to  the  man  who  had  brought  them  into  their 
disembodied  existence.  From  door  to  door  he  went, 
and  everywhere  he  found  the  doctor  most  easily  by  the 
crowd  of  devotee  ghosts.  Despairing  of  finding  a  doctor 
with  no  attendant  spirit,  he  rejoiced  at  discovering  a 
practitioner  with  only  one  solitary  revenant.  To  him 
he  at  once  entered,  and  implicitly  followed  his  direction. 


824  PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 

But  when  he  later  enquired,  "  How  many  moons  has 
my  venerated  benefactor  pursued  his  work  of  benefi- 
cence and  charity? "  he  received  the  frank  acknowledg- 
ment, *'  Your  insignificant  servant  had  but  opened  his 
doors  three  days,  and  your  lordly  foot  was  but  the 
second  to  cross  the  threshold."  Soon  there  were  two 
ghosts  at  the  door. 

2.  Present,  This  city  is  a  kind  of  Chinese  Mecca; 
of  the  twenty  odd  million  Moslems  who  live  in  the  Cen- 
tral Kingdom,  more  reside  in  Kansu  than  in  any  other 
one  province,  and  so  the  capital  is  their  natural  centre. 
They  are  not  Arabs,  nor  have  any  Arab  blood  in  them. 
Probably  Tatars  introduced  the  faith  by  the  overland 
route,  and  settled  down,  marrying  not  more  than  four 
Chinese  women  at  a  time,  with  as  many  concubines  as 
they  could  afford.  They  multiplied  rapidly,  as  is  usu- 
ally the  case  with  Moslems,  and  all  the  children  were 
brought  up  in  the  faith  of  the  Prophet.  But  while  in 
other  quarters  the  Arabs  generally  have  set  the  fashion 
of  dress  and  of  speech,  so  that  flowing  robes  and 
gutteral  tones  are  usually  associated  with  Islam,  yet 
here  in  China  the  conservatism  of  the  nation  prevailed 
in  these  details.  There  is  nothing  appealing  to  the  eye 
which  would  pick  out  a  Moslem  from  a  Confucian,  a 
Taoist,  a  Buddhist,  or  a  Christian. 

But  one  peculiarity  of  Islam  is  very  marked :  its 
tendency  to  revolt  against  any  government  that  is  not 
exercised  by  one  of  its  own  sons.  This  it  shares  with  the 
other  great  international  system,  Roman  Catholicism. 
Mecca  and  Rome  are  the  centres  each  of  a  great 
religious  propaganda,  and  when  nationality  and  religion 
conflict,  religion  usually  wins  with  their  followers. 
And  so  the  Moslem  is  a  perpetual  cause  of  anxiety  to 
many  a  ruler — in  Algeria,  in  Egypt,  in  India,  in  Java, 
in  Turkestan,  in  China. 


AT  HOHK  YOV   MAY   OET  ON    VOR  A   THOD8A.ND   DAYS  ;   BUT  THK 
TRAVELLER   IS  IN  TBOCBLE   ALL  THX  TIME 

The  most  serious  outbreak  was  when  the  Chinese 
Moslems  rose  in  general  rebellion,  and  this  province  in 
particular  was  the  headquarters  of  their  movement. 
When  it  was  suppressed,  thousands  were  driven  out  into 
exile,  but  this  proved  insufficient  to  cope  with  the 
problem,  and  at  last  a  drastic  move  was  resolved  upon. 
In  Egypt  Pharaoh  was  driven  to  the  step  of  ordering 
that  every  Hebrew  baby  born  should  be  killed  at  once ; 
but  this  left  a  large  generation  growing  and  grown. 
The  Chinese  Pharaoh  elected  the  other  end  of  the  scale 
to  be  dealt  with,  and  ordered  that  every  follower  of 
Mohammed  above  the  age  of  fifteen  should  be  des- 
patched. Whether  that  was  carried  out  may  be  doubted, 
though  Asiatics  do  not  shrink  from  exterminations  on 
this  colossal  scale.  But  we  hear  nothing  of  any  measure 
for  dealing  with  the  young,  or  with  the  lands  set  free. 
If  there  were  no  new  Confucian  settlers  training  up  the 
children  to  pay  reverence  to  ancestral  tablets,  no  Buddh- 
ist lamas  from  Tibet  to  gather  the  lads  into  monasteries, 
no  Taoist  priests  to  indoctrinate  them  with  a  whole- 
some fear  of  ghosts,  then  the  whole  trouble  might  possi- 
bly recur  in  another  fifteen  or  twenty  years.  And  in 
reality  this  has  happened,  if  not  on  the  same  gigantic 
scale.  The  memory  of  the  last  insurrection  ^  has  not 
died  away,  though  the  viceroy  was  then  able,  by  seizing 
hostages,  to  keep  the  city  untouched.  And  now  a  large 
settlement  of  these  doubtful  subjects  is  across  the 
Pontoon  Bridge  at  the  foot  of  the  Golden  Hill,  under 
constant  observation,  but  without  the  walls. 

•  The  rebellion  was  suppressed  by  Tso  Tsung-t'ang  in  1873.  He 
invested  Suchow  (in  the  Panhandle  of  Kansu)  in  1871,  and  it  fell,  after 
a  long  siege,  in  November,  1873.  After  this  he  conducted  a  brilliant 
campaign  in  Turkestan,  which  was  brought  to  an  end  by  the  fall  of 
Khotan  on  January  S,  1878. 


82«  PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 

Apart  from  the  Moslem,  the  city  contains  all  the 
usual  strata  of  population,  with  an  excess  of  expectant 
officials,  and  there  are  all  the  usual  tales  of  helpless 
resistance  to  robbers,  of  unresisting  women  hanging  or 
drowning,  of  inconsolable  widows  following  their  part- 
ners. Strange  custom,  uncanny  notion,  that  when  they 
pass  to  be  "  guests  on  high  "  *  they  can  at  once  find  their 
spouses  awaiting  them!  Is  it  love,  strong  barbaric 
affection,  that  will  not  lose  its  grip?  Do  they  think 
tliat  their  lords  in  the  sky  can  share  happiness  with 
them?  Surely  the  hope  of  life  beyond  the  grave  must 
be  deeply  rooted,  if  despite  all  the  silence  of  the  wise 
Confucius  they  yet  cherish  this  expectation.  Or  is  there 
a  less  unsefish  purpose — is  it  to  escape  unnumbered  toils 
that  they  seek  a  radiant  chariot  in  the  hidden  land, 
whither  by  starry  paths  transported  they  may  in  wild 
ecstasy  of  jocund  happiness  partake  of  richest  joy  at 
its  very  fount?  Or  do  we  wrong  them?  Is  it  that  they 
feel  they  would  soothe  the  grief  of  the  partner  reft 
from  their  arms,  snatched  away  by  heavy  fate  to  the 
cheerless  realms  of  death,  where  yet  their  constancy 
may  avail  to  brighten  his  lot?  Do  they  anticipate 
naught  but  trouble  and  hapless  misery  in  this  world,  and 
feel  that  death  itself  has  nothing  more  terrible  in  store? 
liife  here  has  no  more  happiness  laid  up;  the  widow's 
joys  are  laid  to  rest  in  the  coffin  of  her  departed  one; 
taunting  thoughts  harass  her  rest;  grievous  anticipa- 
tions of  slavery  in  a  home  that  was  once  brightened  by 
his  presence  do  but  fix  her  resolve.  Away  from  the 
stern  rule  of  the  despotic  mother-in-law,  to  the  embrace 
of  the  loved  one  in  the  Land  of  the  Lotus-leaf!  Escape 
is  easy,  love  is  likely,  honour  is  sure ;  the  noose  is  fitted, 
and  beside  the  casket  of  the  husband  sways  the  body 
of  the  widow. 

*A  phrase  only  used  of  the  Emperor.  The  Chinese  does  not  go 
to  heaven  (that  is,  to  the  sky  above),  but  rather  to  the  underworld. 


CHK  GATES  OF  A  TAKEN  OPBN  LIKS  THK  riOOBB  BIOBT 

3.  Future.  What  now  is  the  future  of  Lanchow? 
Is  it  to  be  divined  from  omens  such  as  these,  or  are 
there  other  factors  yet  to  be  reckoned  with?  Behold 
in  this  great  province  thirteen  little  settlements  of 
Westerners;  here  in  the  city  are  seven  white  people 
dwelling,  to  tell  of  a  better  use  of  life  than  this.  They 
tell  of  One  who  gives  life  as  a  trust,  to  be  used,  not  to 
be  closed;  of  One  who  is  Lord  of  Life,  and  has  con- 
quered death;  of  One  who  cares  for  the  fatherless  and 
the  widow ;  of  One  who  prepares  an  abode  in  the  home 
of  the  Father  for  every  one,  and  will  come  in  His  own 
time  for  every  child.    Is  this  no  augury  for  the  future? 

Or  look  at  this  other  fact,  dealing  with  the  immedi- 
ate future,  with  this  world  and  not  the  next.  What  of 
the  Manchus? 

When  Ch'in's  Great  Wall  no  longer  held  them  back, 
and  a  Chinese  general  invited  them  into  the  land,  they 
swept  in  as  conquerors,  and  as  conquerors  demeaned 
themselves.  In  every  town  they  planked  their  garri- 
son, not  to  till  the  soil  but  to  hold  down  the  people. 
Even  as  the  Arab  conquerors  of  Egypt  did  not  occupy 
its  capital  of  Babylon,  but  pitched  a  camp  against  its 
northern  wall,  which  has  grown  till  Arab  Cairo  has 
outshone  Coptic  Babylon;  so  did  the  Manchus  pitch  a 
camp.  Even  as  the  Arab  disdained  to  plough  the  land, 
but  exacted  tribute  from  peasant  and  craftsman,  from 
doctor  and  student,  himself  a  warrior;  so  the  Manchu 
would  not  touch  the  earth  which  he  has  conquered,  but 
compelled  every  one  to  pay  into  his  treasury,  and  from 
that  treasury  every  Manchu  was  pensioned  to  keep 
himself  expert  in  arms.  England  has  seen  it  with  her 
Norman  conquerors,  and  for  a  few  brief  years  with 
Cromwell's  red-coated  Ironsides;  China  has  endured  it 
ever  since  their  day. 


828  PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 

That  era  is  over.  In  the  great  reconstruction  that 
is  proceeding,  the  new  army  is  of  Chinese  and  Manchus 
alike;  and  as  the  Chinese  outnumber  the  others  enor- 
mously, the  new  army  is  practically  Chinese.  What 
then  of  the  Manchus?  All  cannot  live  on  in  China, 
where  they  own  no  rood  of  soil.  So  they  are  being 
transplanted  back  to  the  north  whence  they  came — but 
not  to  northeast  alone,  to  northwest  also.  Beyond  the 
Great  Wall  their  settlement  is  proceeding  apace,  and 
new  provinces  are  being  added  to  the  Empire  by  the 
peaceful  plantation  of  these  sturdy  men.  The  pensions 
they  have  drawn  for  centuries  are  still  paid  from  the 
treasury,  but  now  are  used  to  start  them  on  the  land. 
And  with  millions  of  these  men,  hardy  northerners  by 
descent,  the  land  is  smiling  again  into  cultivation.  The 
real  boundary  of  the  Empire,  as  distinct  from  the  map 
boundary,  is  advancing  northward  and  westward. 
Russia  may  send  her  convicts  from  Europe,  she  may 
tempt  settlers  eastward  with  promises  of  free  land ;  but 
she  has  not  so  many  millions  to  draw  upon  as  has  the 
Flowery  Kingdom.  The  Manchus  who  swept  south 
from  Manchuria  are  sweeping  north  again.  They  did 
hold  down  China ;  they  will  hold  back  Russia. 


XV 

SIAN 

PART  I.— AS  IT  IS 

Six  hundred  miles  up  the  Hwang-ho,  on  a  tributary 
called  the  Weiho,  lies  the  historic  capital  of  Sian.  How 
it  came  to  be  what  it  is  can  be  told  presently,  but  the 
immediate  district  around  and  the  town  itself  have  in 
minature  the  history  of  China,  so  that  the  antiquarian 
can  hardly  have  a  better  centre.  He  will  enter  the 
province  of  Shensi  at  the  fortress  of  Tungkwan,  on  the 
great  bend  of  the  Hwang-ho,  where  the  north  road 
from  Peking  and  the  south  road  from  Nanking  join 
and  form  the  great  west  road  for  Russia  and  Tibet. 
Hence  he  will  struggle  on  by  winding  roads  across  the 
powdery  yellow  loess,  down  the  steep  ravines  to  where 
streams  have  cut  through  to  the  original  soil,  panting 
up  to  the  top  again,  and  along  the  worst  "  road  "  in  the 
world,  till  he  is  cheered  by  a  fine  stone  bridge  some  six 
hundred  yards  long,  which  tells  he  is  nearing  the  site 
of  some  ancient  civilisation.  Four  miles  on,  and  there 
is  a  curious  hill  in  whose  eastern  face,  as  we  toil  up  to  it, 
we  notice  many  dug-out  caves,  where  people  come  for 
summer  holidays.  Arrived  at  the  summit,  we  find  a 
splendid  view  of  our  goal:  three  miles  on  rises  a  great 
brick  tower  some  sixty  feet  high,  guarding  the  only 
entrance  to  the  city  on  the  east,  while  north  and  south 
of  it  a  thirty-foot  wall  stretches  a  mile  in  either  direction. 

Though  as  yet  every  traveller  is  dependent  on  the 
great  western  road,  he  can  use  the  Imperial  telegraph 
which  links  up  the  city  with  every  other  capital,  and  he 
will  find  the  Imperial  Post  receiving  nearly  seven  thou- 

329 


330  SIAN:  AS  IT  IS 

sand  articles  daily.  In  a  short  time  the  railway  creep- 
ing west  will  join  the  western  and  northern  capitals, 
and  the  romance  of  the  journey  will  have  vanished.  At 
first  sight,  it  seems  strange  that  while  ocean  steamers  go 
up  the  Yangtze  to  Hankow,  the  Hwang-ho  is  not  made 
available  to  this  centre ;  but  its  course  is  so  variable,  and 
the  deposits  so  constant,  that  bottom  and  banks  would 
need  more  attention  that  a  corrupt  bureaucracy  can  yet 
be  trusted  with.  The  Hwang-ho  and  Weiho  should  be 
dredged  to  admit  ocean  ships  as  far  as  Sianfu. 

Safely  past  the  customs  and  immigration  officers, 
the  traveller  finds  himself  on  a  broad,  straight  street, 
paved  with  granite,  but  running  through  a  deserted 
quarter.  It  is  the  Tatar  city,  reserved  for  the  domin- 
ant race  which  for  more  than  two  centuries  has  held 
down  the  Chinese,  and  has  reserved  a  garrison  section 
in,  but  walled  off  from,  every  important  town.  Here 
till  lately  the  Tatar  soldiers  held  their  military  tourna- 
ments, putting  the  stone,  tossing  the  caber,  shooting  at 
the  gallop ;  but  the  system  is  obsolete,  and  the  Tatar  city 
lies  desolate.  Over  its  wall  to  the  south  is  a  residential 
quarter,  which  contains  the  "  Forest  of  Stones,"  *  a 
renowned  collection  of  ancient  monuments,  not 
gathered,  as  in  the  British  Museum,  from  all  lands,  but 
epitomising  local  history  for  more  than  two  thousand 
years.  Through  the  western  gate  of  the  Tatar  city  into 
the  Chinese  city,  and  we  are  in  the  thick  of  business; 
shops  of  all  kinds  abound,  the  most  characteristic  being 
the  furriers'.  On  the  northwest  the  population  is 
densest,  and  the  only  notable  buildings  in  this  industrial 
quarter  are  the  two  mosques ;  for  this  town  is  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Moslems  in  the  north. 

Turning  away  to  the  south,  we  find  the  great  open 
market,  and  behind  it  the   chief  government  house, 

*Pei  Lin,  "Forest  of  Slabs  or  Stone  Tablets"   (inscribed,  of  course). 


TO   OONVKRSE   WITH    ▲   SUPERIOR   MAN   FOE  ONK   NI«HT 
IS   BETTER  THAN   STUD7IHC  BOOKS  TOR   10  TEARS 


331 


The  name  Sian  signifies  "Western  Repose.' 


83«  SIAN:  AS  IT  IS 

intended  for  the  viceroy  of  two  provinces,  but  now 
occupied,  by  the  governor  of  Shensi.  His  proper  resi- 
dence was  used  a  few  years  ago  for  the  Emperor  and 
Empress  Dowager  when  they  fled  from  Peking. 
Beyond  the  South  Court,  as  the  government  house  is 
called,  away  to  the  west  lie  beautiful  mansions  with 
ancient  trees  in  their  court-yards,  as  in  Brompton  and 
Kensington,  and  aristocratic  quarters  where  retired 
Imperial  officers  come  to  spend  their  leisure.  It  will 
not  do  to  look  too  closely  at  the  condition  of  the  build- 
ings even  here,  and  the  side  streets  often  degenerate 
into  mere  mud  roads.  But  there  are  inns  of  the  Chinese 
type,  as  good  as  might  be  hoped  for  in  a  capital,  and  by 
the  time  the  traveller  has  cleansed  off  the  yellow  coat- 
ing and  refreshed  on  mutton  and  millet,  if  he  patronises 
local  food-stuffs,  he  will  find  a  troop  of  guides  offering 
their  escort  to  the  curio  shops  and  the  Stone  Museum. 
A  climb  up  the  Drum  Tower  in  the  middle  of  the  city 
shows  that  the  place  is  roughly  three  miles  from  east 
to  west  and  two  from  north  to  south,  within  the  walls, 
while  of  course  suburbs  lie  beyond.  The  population  is 
guessed  at  as  from  200,000  to  250,000,  comparable  to 
Nottingham,  the  Hague,  Christiania,  and  Jersey  City. 
A  visit  to  the  post  office  shows  that  the  officials  must 
have  some  trouble  in  dealing  with  correspondence  from 
the  West.  The  name  of  the  city  is  written  in  Chinese 
with  two  characters,  which  mean  "  Western  Repose,'* 
but  to  reproduce  the  pronounciation  in  English  is  not 
easy;  one  is  suggested  by  Hsi  or  Si,  the  other  by  Ngan 
or  An.  It  will  be  seen  that  there  are  about  a  dozen 
English  spellings  current,  while  Germans  have  their 
own  varieties  to  contribute.  There  is  another  curious 
cause  of  muddle,  for  many  shires  are  governed  from  a 
town  of  the  same  name  within  its  limits.     Now  two 


HOLD   YOUR  TKMPKR   FUR   A   MOMKKT  AMD   AVOID  100  DATS  OF 
SORROW 

shires  meet  here,  one  called  Changan,  ^  the  other 
Hsienning;  so  the  eastern  half  of  Sian  bears  the  one 
shire  name,  and  the  western  half  bears  the  other.  Just 
in  the  same  way,  the  countries  of  Richmond  and  Brook- 
lyn and  Queens,  as  boroughs,  all  form  part  of  Greater 
New  York.  So  Changan  is  not  a  separate  town,  but 
a  mere  subdivision  of  Sian,  or  the  name  of  a  shire  lying 
east  of  it.  It  is  the  historic  half,  and  down  we  go  to 
explore  its  treasures. 

In  the  Forest  of  Tablets  stand  almost  side  by  side 
two  important  relics  of  antiquity,  the  Ch'in  tablet  and 
the  Nestorian  tablet.  Of  the  former  a  superb  transla- 
tion may  be  found  in  "  The  Great  Wall  of  China,"  so 
that  it  need  not  be  further  mentioned  here.  The  latter 
records  the  early  introduction  of  Christianity  into  the 
Empire.  About  the  year  500  the  centre  of  Christian 
influence  for  Asia  was  at  Seleucia-Ctesiphon  on  the 
Tigris,  where  the  chief  assumed  the  title  of  "  Patriarch 
of  Babylon."  The  Patriarch  and  his  followers  were 
Persians,  but,  as  there  was  no  convenient  system  of 
writing  Persian,  they  used  a  Syriac  Bible,  much  as  the 
Scotch  Christians  used  a  Latin  Bible,  not  having  it 
translated  into  Scotch.  Now  the  Persian  Church  is 
often  called  Syrian,  unless  it  is  labelled  Nestorian;  but 
it  is  important  to  remember  that  the  home  base  was 
Persian,  whence  missionaries  went  all  over  Asia.  The 
story  is  well  known  how  some  of  them  studied  the  silk 
industry,  and  broke  down  the  Chinese  monopoly  by 
smuggling  some  eggs  of  the  silkworm  in  a  bamboo 
walking-stick,  so  that  the  industry  spread  to  Persia  and 

'  *Ch*ang-an  was  the  ancient  name  of  Hsi-an  when  it  was  capital  of 
the  Empire  under  the  Former  Han  and  again  under  the  T'ang  dynasty. 
It  was  then  also  known  as  Si-king  or  "Western  Capital,"  just  as  Nanking 
means  "  Southern  Capital,"  and  Peking  "  Northern  Capital." 


334  SIAN:  AS  IT  IS 

Europe;  this  was  about  the  year  500.  In  614  the  Per- 
sian Shah  insulted  his  Christian  subjects  when  after  the 
capture  of  Jerusalem  he  carried  away  the  True  Cross 
in  triumph;  certainly  it  was  restored,  but  they  never 
forgave,  and  when  the  Arabs  invaded  the  land  the 
Christians  sympathised,  and  the  empire  came  to  an  end 
in  640.  It  was  in  the  dying  throes  of  the  Persian 
empire  that  a  strong  mission  party  was  sent  to  China. 

The  stone  stands  about  seven  feet  high  and  is 
mounted  on  a  pedestal  carved  like  a  tortoise.  More 
than  once  it  has  been  sheltered  by  an  arch,  the  last 
attempt  at  this  protection  being  about  1890.  Some 
white  men  seem  to  have  thought  that  a  monument  of 
so  much  importance  ought  not  to  remain  exposed  to  all 
sorts  of  risks,  so  they  came  and  made  very  careful 
arrangements  to  reproduce  it  exactly.  In  this  they 
were  so  successful  that  local  rumour  credited  them  with 
the  intention  of  leaving  the  replica  and  marching  off 
with  the  original;  so  a  volunteer  vigilance  committee 
watched  over  proceedings  till  the  enterprising  archaeolo- 
gist had  departed  with  his  precious  duplicate. 

The  monument  has  at  the  head  an  ornamental  piece, 
representing  a  pair  of  camels  or  other  strange  animals, 
with  a  title.  A  border  in  Syriac  gives  the  Western  dat- 
ing and  the  names  of  the  chief  Persian  missionaries,  and 
of  the  Patriarch  in  Babylon.  These  tally  with  the 
Chinese  dating,  and  show  that  the  monument  was  erected 
in  781  A.D.,  that  there  was  a  large  staff  of  Chinese  clergy, 
sixty-one  names  being  given,  and  that  some  of  them  had 
attained  high  rank  in  the  Civil  Service.  The  Emperor 
had  built  a  church  in  the  capital,  with  his  portrait.  This 
cathedral  was  at  first  served  by  twenty-one  priests, 
which  shows  how  the  missionaries  realised  the  value  of  a 
strongly  manned  station.  Five  other  churches  were 
built  by  a  late  Emperor  after  744,  and  "  every  city  was 


The  famous  "Big  Towkr,"  nine  li  south  of  Sianfu. 


« Jt  -  j6  m  S?  55  335 

WHBN    TBC   KAST  WIND   (H^SBA^D)    BLOWS   WBATHEK  CUAMOBS 

full  of  churches."  Then  came  a  visitor  from  Rajagriha, 
an  important  Buddhist  centre  on  the  Ganges;  he 
obtained  high  rank  in  the  Imperial  service,  and  became 
a  great  benefactor  of  the  church.  His  good  deeds  and 
character  are  recounted  at  length,  and  they  served  as 
the  occasion  for  the  erection  of  the  tablet  and  for  a  com- 
memorative ode  by  a  secretary  of  state.  Fortunately 
a  prose  preface  was  drawn  up  by  a  Chinese  priest,  and 
it  gives  a  glimpse  at  certain  customs  and  doctrines.  We 
read  of  the  Virgin-birth,  of  Persians  led  by  a  star  to 
give  tribute,  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  old  dispensation 
as  declared  in  the  "  Twenty-four  "  (the  regular  Syrian 
title  for  the  Old  Testament),  of  the  Ascension,  the 
twenty-seven  sacred  books,  baptism,  summoning  con- 
gregations by  a  wooden  gong,  seven  daily  times  of 
praise,  sacrifice  every  seventh  day,  and  a  fifty-day  sea- 
son of  purification. 

There  are  many  other  allusions  in  Chinese  literature 
to  the  results  of  this  Persian  mission,  though  no  other 
monument  has  been  discovered.  The  annals  of 
Changan,  written  about  the  time  of  William  the 
Norman,  mention  the  Persian  temples,  and  point  out 
which  of  them  is  the  original,  built  for  the  priest  Alopun, 
while  the  Imperial  proclamation  recited  in  the  tablet 
has  been  produced.  The  tablet  itself  was  referred  to 
by  seventeen  different  native  heathen  authors,  but  was 
lost  sight  of  till  in  1625  it  was  unearthed  by  Chinese 
labourers  digging  foundations.  The  governor  caused 
it  to  be  erected  in  a  Buddhist  temple  court  not  far  away, 
and  since  then  it  has  been  fairly  well  known.  An 
Italian  soon  heard  of  it,  came  to  see  it,  sent  an  account 
home,  and  by  1655  there  was  an  account  published  in 
English  at  London. 


336  SIAN:  AS  IT  WAS 

This  first  Chinese  mission,  undertaken  by  the  Per- 
sians, was  in  high  favour  at  court,  but  therein  lay  a 
danger.  The  Chinese  are  intensely  proud  and  resent 
foreign  domination;  the  more  the  Christians  were  pat- 
ronised by  a  foreign  dynasty,  the  less  did  the  Chinese 
appreciate  them.  And  when  they  expelled  the  Mon- 
gols, the  church  collapsed. 

Other  Christian  missions  have  of  course  entered 
since.  Besides  the  ubiquitous  China  Inland  Mission, 
the  English  Baptists  maintain  a  strong  force  at  the 
capital.  A  book-shop,  a  preaching-room,  a  hospital, 
show  the  modern  methods  used,  while  a  normal  school 
for  teachers  is  paving  the  way  for  a  theological  seminary. 

PART  II.— AS  IT  WAS 

In  China  the  great  seats  of  empire  are  four,  dis- 
tinguished by  the  points  of  the  compass  as  west,  east, 
south,  north;  this  is  also  the  historic  order.  Sian  came 
first,  the  western,  which  was  the  seat  of  five  great 
dynasties;  then  Honan  provided  the  eastern,  either  in 
Kaifeng  or  in  Loyang;  Nanking  is  exactly  "  Southern 
Capital,"  and  Peking  "  Northern  Capital,"  the  real 
names  of  these  cities  being  quite  disused. 

Sian  in  the  west  is  at  the  point  of  danger.  It  verges 
on  the  great  deserts  where  have  been  bred,  and  whence 
have  issued,  countless  swarms  of  fierce  horsemen,  Tatars 
or  Huns  or  Mongols  or  Manchus.  For  no  fewer  than 
twelve  out  of  the  last  twenty  centuries  they  have 
imposed  their  yoke  here,  and  twice  have  placed  it  on 
the  whole  nation ;  yet  through  most  of  the  time  Sian  has 
retained  the  consciousness  of  being  a  Chinese  city. 
Even  so  Alexandria  has  been  under  Roman  and  Greek 
and  Arab  and  Turk,  but  has  not  lost  a  sense  of  being 
Egyptian. 


MKN   LOOK    UP  ;   WATBB  FLOWS   DOWH 


337 


Many  capitals  have  been  chosen  to  be  near  the 
frontier  of  danger — Constantinople,  Ravenna,  York, 
Ispahan.  Now  China  has  never  had  to  fear  invasion  by 
sea,  till  quite  modern  days;  and  it  does  not  seem  likely 
she  need  fear  that  much  longer.  Her  enemies  have 
never  come  from  the  middle  west,  through  Tibet,  but 
the  barbarous  hordes  of  the  northern  deserts  have  surged 
across  her  and  subjugated  her  twice  or  thrice,  just  as 
they  have  surged  south  over  Persia  and  India  and  west- 
ward over  Europe.  Now  the  Hwang-ho,  after  an 
excursion  into  the  north,  flows  due  south  for  one  thou- 
sand li  through  a  deep  defile  which  gives  its  name  to  the 
province  westward,  Shensi,^  then  turns  abruptly  east, 
and  the  bend  seems  an  obvious  place  for  a  fortress. 

In  the  dim  period  of  antiquity,  whence  no  annals 
survive,  it  is  said  that  a  Chou  dynasty,  about  1122  B.C., 
recognised  the  importance  of  the  situation  and  made  this 
a  capital,*  but  there  is  nothing  extant  to  prove  the  tra- 
dition. Perhaps  careful  study  of  the  records,  or  care- 
ful exploration  of  the  locality,  or  happy  chance,  may 
show  the  explorer  exactly  where  to  dig,  and  he  may  yet 
succeed  in  unearthing  relics  here  of  this  vague  Chou 
dynasty.  Egypt  and  Palestine  have  yielded  up  buried 
cities  even  older,  while  Babylonia  would  smile  at  the 
idea  of  1122  ®  being  at  all  too  far  back,  if  any  civilisa- 
tion really  existed  then  in  China.  The  Babylonian  cities 
of  Ur  and  Nippur  have  yielded  up  their  temples  and 
libraries;  an  antiquarian  five  hundred  years  before 
Christ  said  that  he  had  laid  bare  a  foundation  thirty- 

»The  proper  pronunciation  of  this  province  Jj^  0  is  Shansi.  It  is 
only  spelled  Shensi  in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  (if  ^t  which  means 
"West  of  the  Mountains"   (Shansi). 

*Not  only  this,  but  it  is  said  to  have  been  the  capital  under  the  pre- 
ceding Yin  dynasty,  which  began  in  1400  b.c. 
'    '  The  capital  was  moved  to  Honan  in  770  b.c. 

22 


dS8  SIAN:  AS  IT  WAS 

eight  hundred  years  old ;  if,  then,  the  Chous  were  civil- 
ised and  did  have  a  capital  near  here,  it  may  yet  be 
opened  up.  The  tradition,  however,  runs  that  in  770 
they  abandoned  this  district  and  moved  to  Loyang,  in 
Honan,  establishing  the  first  of  the  eastern  capitals. 
The  only  relic  of  the  older  age  is  a  set  of  ten  stone 
cylinders  found  here  thirteen  hundred  years  ago,  and 
inscribed  with  an  account  of  a  great  hunt.  If  hunting 
was  the  most  important  occupation  of  the  rulers,  they 
must  have  been  at  a  low  stage  of  civilisation  in  the  year 
827,  to  which  the  inscription  is  referred. 

When  Ch'in  the  First  and  Only  put  down  the  feudal 
system,  and  like  the  King  of  Prussia  in  1866  simply 
dethroned  the  rulers,  annexing  their  dominions  and 
establishing  an  autocratic  centralised  system  such  as 
still  prevails,  he  saw  the  importance  of  the  district  here 
— not  far,  indeed,  from  his  ancestral  principality — and 
he  saw  something  in  the  prestige  attaching  to  what  had 
been  a  seat  of  rule  for  four  hundred  and  fifty  years. 
But  evidently  he  found  nothing  worth  preserving  in  the 
actual  old  site,  and  he  chose  a  new  one  near.  This  is 
a  thoroughly  Oriental  custom;  the  plain  round  Delhi  is 
covered  with  the  ruins  of  former  Delhis;  Cairo 
adjoins  the  Coptic  Babylon;  the  Persians  built 
Ctesiphon  opposite  the  Greek  capital  of  Seleucia. 
Ch*in,  therefore,  selected  a  site  and  built  a  wall,  the  first 
step  toward  a  new  capital,  Hienyang.  But  the  interior 
he  next  adorned  with  splendid  edifices  of  all  kinds. 
His  own  palace  is  described  in  glowing  terms,  and  the 
writers  expatiate  on  the  thirty-six  palaces  for  his  prin- 
cipal wives.  Then  for  the  mediatised  princes  he  pro- 
vided replicas  of  the  homes  where  they  had  formerly 
reigned,  and  brought  them  under  his  immediate  eye,  thus 
establishing  a  splendid  band  of  courtiers.  For  such 
luxurious  homes  there  had  been  a  great  servile  popula- 


IT  TOU   HAVE  MONKY  THB   DEVIL  WILL  CBIMD  FOR  TOV 

tion,  and  thousands  of  people  were  transplanted  there. 
All  this  is  strange  to  European  ears,  and  we  have  to 
recollect  how  Tigranes  of  Armenia  did  exactly  the  same 
thing  in  the  full  blaze  of  human  history,  how  Nebuchad- 
nezzar did  something  of  the  same  kind  with  his  great 
Babylon  which  he  built;  and  we  may  contrast  with  the 
way  in  which  young  America  designed  the  same  thing 
with  Washington,  but  found  free  men  not  so  ready  to 
fill  up  a  paper  city — a  lesson  that  young  Australia  may 
well  lay  to  heart,  with  her  new  federal  capital  in  a 
droughty  desert. 

But  indeed  we  may  hesitate  a  little  over  the  story  of 
Chain's  building.  It  comes  from  his  enemies  the 
scholars,  who  hold  it  up  as  an  instance  of  his  reckless 
tyranny  and  extravagance.  It  does  not  dovetail  with 
the  story  of  his  perpetual  progresses  throughout  his 
domains.  And  though  a  man  who  could  conceive  and 
did  carry  out  the  Great  Wall,  so  massive  that  it  stands 
to-day,  was  quite  capable  of  turning  his  architects  and 
builders  on  to  a  capital,  it  may  be  well  to  wait  till  we 
see  the  ruins  of  the  scores  of  palaces  he  is  blamed  for 
erecting. 

The  Han  dynasty,  founded  by  a  soldier  of  fortune 
from  the  Yangtze,  retained  the  district  as  their  centre, 
but  the  name  Changan  appears  for  the  capital,  being 
rather  an  epithet  than  a  name,  and  so  being 
applied  to  several  different  places.  To  them  are  attrib- 
uted the  great  roads,  eastward  down  the  river,  over  the 
mountains  to  the  country  whence  they  themselves  came, 
and  westward  through  Lanchow,  along  which  their 
armies  marched  to  the  Caspian,  within  hearsay  of  the 
Romans.  Here  it  was  that  scholarship  was  honoured 
anew,  that  an  Emperor  was  persuaded  no  government 
could  be  stable  without  education,  so  that  he  patronised 


840  SIAN:  AS  IT  WAS 

the  recovery  of  the  books  which  Ch'in  had  destroyed,  and 
was  therefore  immortalised  as  Wen  Ti,  "Literary 
Sovereign."  Hence  it  was  that  under  a  successor  an 
expedition  went  out  to  bring  back  the  Buddhist  religion 
and  to  obtain  the  Indian  classics.  The  obstinacy  of 
the  Chinese  mind  comes  out  well  here:  when  they 
found  out  an  alphabetic  system  from  the  Indians,  and 
when  they  were  actually  re-creating  their  own  literature, 
they  were  not  willing  to  replace  their  antique  and 
clumsy  hierogryphs  ®  with  the  few  symbols  required  in 
an  alphabet.  The  Sanskrit  scholars  had  thought  out 
this  matter  most  scientifically,  and  an  intelligent  pupil 
might  easily  have  devised  a  similar  system  for  China; 
as  it  was,  they  riveted  the  yoke  of  the  syllabary  on  their 
nation,  when  Europe  had  adopted  the  boon  of  an  alpha- 
bet, even  in  the  barbarous  West. 

With  the  fall  of  the  Han  dynasty  Chinese  civilisation 
retired  from  this  district.  For  fifty  years  we  do  not 
know  what  went  on  here ;  then  we  hear  of  the  Huns  in 
possession.  Readers  of  Gibbon  know  his  flattering 
reference  to  this  bow-legged,  squat-nosed,  stunted  race, 
which  blotted  out  so  much  European  civilisation. 
While  we  know  that  the  Huns  in  China  kept  up  inter- 
course with  their  brethren  raiding  Europe,  they  were 
not  literary.  Nor  were  they  architectural;  even  the 
great  Attila  had  only  a  palace  of  wood,  and  most  of  the 
princes  dwelt  in  tents.  And  so  the  story  of  Sian  remains 
unwritten  for  four  hundred  years. 

Yang  Chien  rescued  this  district  from  its  neglect, 
and  not  only  welded  it  into  the  restored  Empire,  but 

•"Hieroglyph"  is  not  a  good  word  for  the  Chinese  character,  and 
some  scholars  object  to  "  clumsy."  The  wonderful  elasticity  of  the  Chinese 
language  is  largely  due  to  its  freedom  from  alphabetically  constructed 
words  with  the  inevitable  concomitant  of  inflection  and  agglutination. 
Artistically  speaking,  of  course,  Chinese  Is  far  and  away  the  most  beau- 
tiful script  extant  on  this  globe. 


IF   YOU   ARK    NEAR  INK   YOU    WILL   BECOME   BLACK 

occupied  it  in  force  against  such  invaders.  He  too  hoped 
to  found  a  dynasty,  and  with  blasphemous  audacity 
assumed  the  title  Kaotsu,  "  High  Ancestor."  There  is 
an  amusing  anecdote  about  his  successor — how  he  used 
to  drive  about  in  a  goat-carriage,  and  how  ladies  desir- 
ing the  honour  of  a  visit  from  him  would  sprinkle  a  trail 
of  salt  to  their  doors,  to  attract  the  goats.  To  the 
credit  of  Chinese  common-sense  be  it  said  that  their 
scholars  point  out  that  this  is  only  a  myth  founded  on 
a  pun  on  his  name,  Yang  the  Sui,''  "  Goat-follower." 
The  T'ang  dynasty,  which  inherited  the  Empire 
founded  by  Yang  Chien,  established  its  capital  again 
at  Changan.  Hither  came  the  Christian  missionaries 
from  Persia;  hither  came  the  Greek  embassy  from 
Theodosius ;  here  were  devised  and  carried  out  the  great 
measures  which  resulted  in  a  true  Empire,  and  not  an 
unwieldy  agglomeration  such  as  has  too  often  usurped 
the  name.  Here  too  rose  that  extraordinary  phen- 
omenon, an  Empress!  From  655  she  really  was  the 
power  behind  the  throne,  and  in  684  she  openly  sat  on  it. 
She  seems  to  have  ruled  well,  extending  the  Empire 
and  brightening  the  lives  of  the  people  at  large ;  but  she 
was  hard  on  the  court  sycophants,  and  they  managed 
to  remand  her  at  last  into  seclusion.  What  a  striking 
anticipation  of  recent  events !  ^ 

'  Sui  Yang  must  mean  Yang  (his  family  name)  of  the  Sui  dynasty 
His  real  name  was  Yang  Kuang,  and  he  is  known  as  one  of  the  worst 
of  all  Chinese  Emperors.  He  spent  vast  sums  on  his  palace  and  pleasure- 
grounds,  and  gave  himself  up  to  all  sorts  of  excesses.  The  trees  in  his 
park  were  supplied  in  winter  with  silken  leaves  and  flowers,  and  birds 
were  almost  exterminated  to  provide  a  sufficient  supply  of  down  for  his 
cushions.  He  is  said  to  have  prohibited  women  from  wearing  veils  in 
public,  substituting  a  turban  for  the  more  modest  custom  hitherto  in  vogue. 
' '  Except  that  the  enemies  of  the  late  Empress  Dowager  never 
succeeded  in  remanding  her  into  seclusion.  Here  are  some  facts  about 
Wu  Hou  of  the  T'ang  dynasty.  In  674  she  called  herself  Tien  Hou, 
"Divine  Empress,"  and  in  690  she  changed  the  dynastic  title  to  Cbou, 


342  SIAN:  AS  IT  WAS 

The  dynasty  ran  out  its  course  slowly,  running  down 
hill  as  usual.  A  rebellion  of  eunuchs  in  904  was  indeed 
put  down,  but  the  general  turned  on  the  useless 
Emperor  and  brought  the  dynasty  to  an  end  in  907. 
Unfortunately  he  was  not  a  strong  enough  man  to  fill 
the  place,  or  the  people  would  not  obey  a  usurper. 
After  two  generations  of  confusion,  five  lines  struggling 
for  supremacy  in  the  Hwang-ho  valley,  the  matter  was 
settled  by  the  Tatars  breaking  in  here  and  dropping  a 
veil  of  illiteracy  over  Sian. 

In  the  thirteenth  century,  when  Jinghiz  Khan  and 
Kublai  Khan  annexed  China  to  their  vast  dominions, 
the  Mohammedans  took  advantage  of  the  free  trade 
that  ensued  throughout  their  dominions,  and  immigrated 
freely.  Of  course  the  northwestern  provinces,  Kansu 
and  Shensi,  saw  most  of  them.  They  settled  down  in 
their  usual  way,  except — and  the  exception  is  very 
important — that  they  adopted  Chinese  dress  and  lan- 
guage. Elsewhere  the  Mohammedan  is  readily 
recognised  by  his  flowing  robes  and  his  Arabic  speech, 
but  at  first  sight  the  Chinese  Mohammedan  is  not  to 
be  distinguished  from  the  Confucian.  Now  these 
Mohammedan  immigrants  married  as  usual,  four  wives 
and  as  many  concubines  as  they  could  afford,  and  these 
naturally  the  local  Chinese  women.  Immigrants  rarely 
bring  with  them  enough  women,  and  have  to  depend  on 
local  supplies.  And  so  an  enormous  population  has 
grown  up,  guessed  at  some  twenty  millions,  all  Chinese 

styling  herself  Sheng  Shen  Huang  Ti,  "God  Almighty"!  In  her  later 
years  she  became  more  than  ever  arrogant  and  overbearing.  No  one 
was  allowed  to  say  that  the  Empress  was  fair  as  a  lily  or  lovely  as  a 
rose,  but  that  the  lily  was  fair  or  the  rose  lovely  as  her  Majesty,  She 
tried  to  spread  the  belief  that  she  was  the  Supreme  Being,  by  forcing 
flowers  artificially  and  then  in  the  presence  of  her  courtiers  ordering 
them  to  bloom-  On  one  occasion  she  ordered  some  peonies  to  bloom; 
and  when  they  did  not  instantly  obey,  she  caused  every  peony  in  the 
capital  to  be  pulled  up  and  burnt,  and  prohibited  the  cultivation  of 
peonies  ever  afterwards. 


IN  THE  6tU  moon   ONJS  OAMNOT  LIND   HIS   fAK 

by  descent  except  for  a  slight  infusion  of  foreign  blood 
six  hundred  years  ago,  but  not  altogether  Chinese  in 
sympathy.  Forty  years  ago,  in  the  general  weakness  of 
the  Empire,  the  Mohammedans  of  the  northwest  rose  in 
rebellion.  No  foreigners,  unless  it  be  the  secretive 
Russians,  know  exactly  why  they  rose  or  what  they  did. 
But  it  is  certain  that  Sian  was  the  one  bulwark  of  the 
state  against  the  rising.  It  contained  a  large  Moslem 
population,  so  the  governor  came  to  terms  with  those 
inside  the  walls,  and  induced  them  to  remain  neutral, 
or  even  to  support  him  against  the  rebels.  The  city 
defences  were  perfect,  and,  as  the  rebels  had  no  siege 
artillery,  they  could  effect  nothing  in  a  siege  which  is 
said  to  have  lasted — doubtless  with  intermissions — for 
six  years.  It  was  the  turning-point  of  the  rising,  and 
presently  the  Imperial  authority  was  re-established 
throughout  the  provinces,  and  ultimately  over  the  out- 
lying dependencies,  till  even  the  disinterested  Russia, 
which  had  kindly  stepped  in  to  maintain  order  in 
Kuldja,  was  paid  out  her  expenses,  and  Chinese  officers 
took  it  over. 

PART  III.— ANNALS  OF  SIAN 

The  native  annals  of  Sian  have  hardly  been  explored 
by  previous  white  scholars,  though  one  would  have 
thought  that  a  mine  of  wealth  of  this  description,  relat- 
ing to  such  an  historic  centre,  would  have  been  well 
worked.  By  the  kindness  of  Mr.  W.  Henne  they  have 
been  obtained  for  us,  and  translated  sufficiently  to 
reveal  their  great  interest.  This  is  not  merely  annal- 
istic;  indeed,  the  bare  record  of  events  is  occasionally 
disappointing,  but  the  insight  into  the  feelings  of  the 
people,  their  outlook  on  events,  their  mental  and  moral 
make-up,  come  out  most  clearly. 


344  ANNALS  OF  SIAN 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  city  of  Sian  stands 
in  two  counties,  and  is  composed  of  the  two  county- 
towns,  Changan  Hsien  to  the  east  and  Hsienning  Hsien 
to  the  west.  Newcastle  and  Gateshead  have  a  river 
between  them,  and  so  have  Manchester  and  Salford; 
but  Texarkana  straddles,  not  the  boundaries  of  counties 
only,  but  of  States,  while  in  Massachusetts  the  three 
counties  of  Essex,  Middlesex,  and  Norfolk  contribute 
to  the  city  of  Boston.  So  for  Sian  we  draw  not  only  on 
the  annals  of  Changan,  but  also  on  those  of  Hsienning. 

A  few  excerpts  are  taken  from  the  annals,  and  a  few 
comments  are  added.  In  choosing  the  topics,  regard 
has  been  had  to  the  inner  life  of  the  people,  to  show 
their  domestic  ideas  and  their  private  doings  rather 
than  to  dilate  further  on  the  external  history  of  wars 
and  conquests.  There  is  reading  enough  for  the  dullest, 
while  the  more  thoughtful  will  ponder  over  the  intellec- 
tual calibre  disclosed.  Remembering  that  it  was  in  this 
place  that  the  great  holocaust  of  bamboo  "  books  "  took 
place,  it  will  be  appropriate  to  begin  with  a  notice  of 
literary  clubs,  and  to  reserve  for  other  places  the  omni- 
present topics  of  omens,  geomancy,  and  kindred  occult 
subjects.    Take  up  the  Annals  of  the  Hsienning  Hsien. 

Under  the  present  dynasty  the  city  has  been  a  lead- 
ing centre  of  intellectual  activity.  In  the  reign  of  the 
K'ang  Hsi,  about  1700,  a  literary  club  was  established 
here,  and  its  rules,  allowing  for  the  obvious  fact  that 
science  was  unknown  and  that  politics  were  taboo,  might 
serve  for  the  most  progressive  Browning  Society  that 
ever  adorned  Vassar  or  Lafayette. 

"By-law  X,  Article  First:  This  club  shall 
meet  three  times  in  a  moon,  namely,  on  the  first 
eleventh,  and  twenty-first,  precisely  at  noon.  No 
wine  or  strong  drink  shall  be  used,  nor  shall  any 
form  of  invitation  be  issued. 


IV  A  MAM   HAS  NO  DEBTS  HB  18  NOT  FOOB 

"  Article  Second :  In  the  meetings  of  this  club 
no  references  shall  be  made  to  the  Imperial  Court, 
nor  are  the  characters  and  shortcomings  of  offi- 
cials to  be  discussed.  No  more  are  private  per- 
sons and  families  to  be  made  a  subject  of  discus- 
sion. Instead  of  fqolish  jesting,  the  language 
proper  to  be  used  will  be  that  of  the  classical 
authorities,  the  Four  Books,  the  Five  Classics, 
together  with  philosophy  and  history." 

Two  other  books  are  mentioned  as  guides  to  mental 
discipline,  one  being  the  "  Meditations  of  Chu  Hsi," 
and  the  other  a  book  of  instructions  for  the  young. 
Another  of  the  regulations  might  well  be  laid  to  heart 
by  all  debating  societies,  including  parliaments: 
'*  Truth  will  be  the  object  held  in  view,  and  discussions 
will  require  to  be  short." 

"  Article  Third :  In  the  discussions,  care  must  be 
taken  to  maintain  calmness.  When  any  difference 
arises,  means  must  be  found  to  settle  the  difficulty. 
No  one  must  consider  that  he  alone  is  in  the  right 
and  everybody  else  is  in  the  wrong." 

Compare  this  with  the  proceedings  immortalised  by 
Bret  Harte,  when  a  chunk  of  old  red  sandstone  was  the 
means  found  to  settle  the  difficulty.  The  founders  of 
the  Sian  society  appear  to  have  felt  a  great  concern  for 
the  manners  and  conduct  of  their  members,  as  behoved 
men  trained  in  deportment  by  the  precepts  of  the 
revered  Confucius,  and  to  the  preceding  articles  they 
append  a  document  entitled,  "  Cautions  for  a  Student," 
somewhat  in  the  style  of  the  ten  commandments,  but 
extending  to  twenty  articles: 


846  ANNALS  OF  SIAN 

"1.  Pride  not  thyself  on  thy  literary  attain- 
ments, nor  excuse  thyself  from  paying  due  respect 
to  thy  father  and  thine  elder  brother. 

"  2.  Allow  not  thyself  to  show  disrespect  to 
members  of  thine  own  tribe  or  family. 

"  3.  In  talking  with  thy  superiors,  mumble  not 
thy  words,  and  recline  in  an  easy  attitude,  nor  look 
askance. 

"  4.  In  public  meetings,  speak  not  noisily ;  nor 
deport  thyself  as  though  there  were  no  one  near 
thee. 

"  5.  Call  not  on  superior  officers  in  hope  of  pro- 
motion, under  pretence  of  submitting  thine  exer- 
cises for  correction. 

"6  Borrow  not  books;  or,  having  borrowed, 
fail  not  to  return  them  clean. 

**  7-  Have  no  intercourse  with  astrologers, 
phrenologists,  and  their  like ;  nor  use  planchette  to 
communicte  with  the  spirit  world." 

In  this  part  of  China  the  approved  planchette  is  a 
pen  suspended  loosely  between  two  enquirers,  over  a 
table  strewn  with  flour.  It  is  supposed  to  be  influenced 
by  the  spirits,  not  by  the  volition  of  either  human  being, 
and,  if  the  atmosphere  be  favourable,  to  trace  out 
mysterious  marks  in  the  flour,  which  may  be  interpreted 
as  a  supernatural  revelation.  In  other  parts  there  are 
other  approved  methods  of  divining. 

"  8.  Read  no  novels,  nor  comic  stories,  nor  any 
kind  of  book  that  is  not  useful. 


A  aa  ^  £  «*■' 


THX  OOURAQE   OF  THIBTBS   IS    DNSTADU 


"  9.  Draw  up  no  pleadings  for  a  lawsuit,  nor 
meddle  in  private  quarrels. 

"10.  Indulge  not  in  amateur  theatricals  for 
amusement. 

"11.  On  days   for  meeting  ask  no  leave  of 
absence,"  etc. 

These  rules  strike  us  as  of  the  calibre  for  a  common 
school,  and  it  is  somewhat  surprising  to  reflect  that  they 
were  for  the  guidance  of  mature  men  assembled 
together  for  mutual  improvement.  How  should  we 
fancy  them  for  a  New  Shakespeare  Society? 

The  Annals,  however,  tell  us  how  strict  was  the  con- 
formity of  family  life  to  the  precepts  of  the  ancient 
sages.  Some  of  the  rules  of  etiquette  were  evidently 
coined  in  a  day  when  the  relations  between  the  sexes 
needed  to  be  most  carefully  guarded.  First,  a  man  may 
not  look  into  the  face  of  his  daughter-in-law.  What  a 
pity  Mohammed  did  not  live  under  this  dispensation; 
it  would  have  been  the  better  for  Zainab,  but  probably 
he  would  have  had  a  revelation  all  the  same  to  except 
him.  Second,  an  elder  brother  may  not  touch  the  hand 
of  the  wife  of  his  younger  brother.  Third,  men  and 
women  must  not  hand  things  directly  to  one  another, 
but  must  lay  them  on  a  table  to  be  picked  up  by  the 
other  person.  Some  of  these  rules  of  course  raised 
further  problems,  and  there  was  ample  scope  for  casuis- 
try of  the  kind  that  delighted  the  rabbins  and  the  school- 
men. One  sage  question  pronounded  to  the  learned 
Mencius  ran  as  follows :  "  If  my  sister-in-law  is  drown- 
ing, am  I  permitted  to  seize  her  hand  in  order  to  save 
her  life? "     But  be  it  not  forgotten  that  under  this 


348  ANNALS  OF  SIAN 

austere  code  of  manners  the  purity  of  family  life  is  at 
a  very  high  level ;  that  Japan  affords  a  painful  contrast, 
which  is  now  attracting  the  earnest  attention  of  her 
statesmen,  and  that  the  divorce  system  which  has  made 
such  inroads  in  our  Western  home  life  is  practically 
unknown  in  China. 

Glancing  over  these  Annals,  we  come  across  remark- 
able names,  one  county  being  called  "  Ten  Thousand 
Years  ";  it  rings  as  strange  in  our  ears  as  the  "  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  "  may  do  in  the  Chinese.  If  you  wander 
down  a  village  street,  you  may  hear  a  mother  call  out, 
"  O  Hundred  Years,  go  and  look  after  little  Stork ! " — 
which  may  pair  off  with,  "  Grace,  go  and  look  after  that 
dratted  Mercy!  "  Most  of  the  English  names  have  lost 
all  meaning,  and  Americans  have  drawn  largely  upon 
surnames  instead  of  Christian  names;  but  the  Chinese 
nearly  always  use  ordinary  common  words  with  definite 
meanings,  especially  such  as  express  the  hope  of  long 
life  or  of  riches.  Perhaps  this  is  more  defensible  than 
ringing  the  changes  on  a  small  stock  of  meaningless 
epithets,  bestowed  simply  because  they  have  long  been 
used  in  the  family. 

One  volume  of  the  Changan  Annals  is  devoted  to 
recording  the  clever  devices  of  good  officials.  Let  this 
serve  as  a  specimen.  Chang  Sung-so  was  magistrate 
of  Changan,  in  whose  term  an  Imperial  messenger  was 
robbed  and  killed  by  the  side  of  the  Kuen  Ming  Lake 
not  the  lake  of  the  Summer  Palace  in  Peking,  but  one 
in  his  own  jurisdiction.  The  magistrate  was  bidden 
detect  the  robber  within  ten  days;  such  a  time  limit  is 
often  given  to  spur  on  officers.  At  the  scene  of  the 
crime  he  found  an  old  woman  sitting  under  a  tree,  sell- 
ing food;  he  had  her  lifted  to  the  saddle  of  one  of  his 
horses  and  taken  to  his  office,  where  she  was  well  treated 
and  fed  for  three  days.     When  she  was  returned  to  the 


TOO   CAN   StJBSTITOB  A  TORNIP  FOR  AN   KGO   ONLT  OKOl 

spot,  a  confidential  spy  was  posted  to  watch  who  came 
to  speak  with  her.  The  curiosity  and  fear  of  the  robber 
led  him  to  enquire  of  the  woman  what  she  had  been 
doing  at  the  office,  suspecting  that  she  had  been 
examined,  and  wishing  to  elicit  what  she  had  told.  But 
as  soon  as  the  spy  saw  the  agitated  appearance  and 
interview  of  the  strange  man,  he  arrested  him,  covering 
his  head  with  his  own  shirt,  and  took  him  to  the  police 
office  to  be  "  questioned,"  which  operation  is,  as  in  the 
days  of  the  Inquisition  and  the  New  York  police,  accom- 
panied with  inconvenience  to  the  questionee.  He 
speedily  confessed  his  guilt,  and  the  articles  were 
recovered.  The  magistrate  Chang  won  high  honour  by 
his  ruse,  people  declaring  him  as  clever  as  the  gods. 


XVI 
KAIFENG 

PART  I.— GETTING  THERE:    EXTRACT  FROM  DIARY 

Chumatien  is  the  village  where  the  slow  trains  from 
Hankow  to  Peking  stop  for  the  night.  It  was  open 
country  when  it  was  pitched  upon,  and  bids  fair  to 
become  an  important  centre  like  Crewe  or  Swindon. 
Already  a  small  town  has  sprung  up,  and  to  judge  by 
the  number  of  long  gowns,  the  host  of  beggars,  the 
gambling,  even  in  the  station,  a  prosperous  people  live 
here.  The  beggars  have  as  their  trade-mark  walking 
on  one  hand  and  two  feet ;  one  of  them  found  that  thus 
he  provided  a  decent  seat  for  his  old  mother,  and  that 
his  filial  piety  appealed  deeply  to  the  charitable — though 
indeed  it  is  hardly  disinterested  charity  that  prompts 
gifts,  but  the  knowledge  that  merit  is  thereby  acquired. 

Inns  have  of  course  sprung  up,  and  we  had  been 
commended  to  Number  One ;  a  tout  at  the  station  smil- 
ingly assured  us  he  represented  that  establishment,  but 
he  nearly  smuggled  us  into  Paradise.  The  genuine 
Number  One  guest  establishment  has  a  huge  sign  the 
whole  length  of  the  frontage,  is  exactly  opposite  the 
station,  and  does  a  roaring  trade.  The  innkeeper  is 
from  Shanghai,  came  up  with  the  railway,  and  speaks 
Shanghai  English.  He  has  mastered  the  idea  of  sani- 
tation. In  front  of  the  inn  are  several  slimy  green 
pools;  we  fancied  perhaps  earth  had  been  taken  thence 
to  raise  the  foundation,  but  he  proudly  explained, 
"  Where  would  the  dirty  water  run  to,  if  we  had  not 
dug  holes?"  After  that  it  was  natural  to  find  the 
knives  being  cleaned  with  ashes  and  saliva,  and  to  find 

850 


Map  of  Kaifeng,  Capital  of  Honax. 


TO  LOOK   AT   A    PHTM  TRKB   AS   A  THIRST-QnTTOCHKn 


Kaifeng  means  "  Opening  of  the  Seals." 


352  KAIFENG:  GETTING  THERE 

an  inscription  on  our  bedroom  wall,  left  probably  by 
some  previous  traveller,  "  Poor  soup,  rotten  fish,  tough 
chicken,  damp  bed."  We  dare  not  contradict  this  in 
any  respect. 

Next  morning  we  find  pleasant  company  on  the 
train,  beguiling  the  way  with  local  war-stories.  There 
is  certainly  not  much  to  see  from  the  car- windows ;  the 
population  is  evidently  thinner  than  in  the  province  to 
the  south,  in  the  basin  of  the  Yangtze.  Whether  this 
is  due  to  the  many  sharp  famines,  or  to  poor  soil,  or  to 
the  dangerous  vagaries  of  the  Yellow  River,  or  to  a 
short  birth-rate,  the  fact  is  plain  enough.  And  a 
Chinese  wag  suggests  that  it  is  due  to  the  people's  not 
having  had  three  heads:  one  for  the  rebels  to  cut  off, 
one  for  the  Imperialists  to  cut  off,  and  one  to  eat  rice 
with.  Yet  be  it  remembered  that  even  now  this  one 
province  of  Honan  is  not  only  larger  than  Scotland 
and  Wales,  but  has  a  larger  population. 

In  our  compartment  is  the  officer  in  charge  of  the 
railway  guards ;  he  has  three  uniforms,  service,  undress, 
and  full  dress.  The  latter  is  decorating  his  person  now, 
and,  as  he  smilingly  says,  is  "  exceedingly  good  to  see," 
only  donned  when  distinguished  people  are  likely  to  be 
met.  He  is  anxious  to  furnish  useful  hints,  and  fore- 
tells at  Kaifeng  three  things  to  see,  two  to  eat,  one  to 
drink.  There  is  a  huge  temple,  a  lake  and  lantern — 
evidently  counted  together — and  a  fine  official  residence. 
He  tells  us  the  right  fees  to  pay  at  each.  But  upon  the 
two  viands  he  waxes  eloquent,  and  reminiscent  happi- 
ness overspreads  his  face  as  he  recalls  past  banquets. 
There  is  a  Yellow  River  fish  of  exceptional  flavour  and 
exceptional  price;  it  is  usually  bought  alive,  and  the 
purchaser  bargains  as  it  hangs  and  wriggles ;  when  the 
price  is  settled,  the  fishmonger  hits  it  on  a  special  place 
and  kills  it.    A  dollar  will  only  buy  a  smaU  specimen. 


I 


#  A  i/i  *  2  m  iK»  #  ts  m  2  «    3*8 

rOB  A  DROP  0*   KINONKSS   KBTITBN   AM   OYKBrLUWINO   Sr&IMO   OF 
RKQaiTAI. 

The  second  dainty  is  a  special  duck,  for  which  again 
fancy  prices  are  asked,  and  a  careful  bargain  has  to  be 
struck.  Small  in  the  buying,  it  swells  in  the  cooking, 
and  must  be  eaten  piping  hot,  each  slice  devoured  as  it 
is  cut  off.  His  fragrant  nectar  turns  out  to  be,  not  the 
banana  juice  we  met  first  in  Central  Africa,  but  mere 
foreign  common  beer! 

To  see  the  city,  says  our  kindly  mentor,  hire  a  rick- 
shaw. The  man  will  take  you  round  to  see  everything, 
and  if  he  is  not  paid  anything  at  the  outset,  is  sure  to  be 
honest  and  wait  outside  every  temple;  if  he  does  well, 
a  little  tea-money  at  the  end  of  the  day  over  and  above 
his  wage  will  send  him  off  happy.  But  there  is  nothing 
else  to  be  done  to  get  about — no  canal,  no  car-line.  The 
railway  is  still  new,  but  is  working  changes.  Till  lately 
everything  had  to  be  sent  on  barrows,  unless  it  could  be 
converted  into  hogs  and  be  driven  to  market.  But  the 
train  is  not  benefiting  Kaifeng  much;  the  set  of  trafiic 
is  all  southward  to  Hankow. 

Our  friendly  cicerone  does  not  come  all  the  way,  but 
drops  off  at  a  way-station,  and  summons  his  wives  from 
another  compartment.  We  miss  him  for  the  rest  of  the 
journey.  At  the  capital  a  mule-cart  takes  us  to  a  hotel 
he  recommended,  the  "  Foreign  and  Chinese  Great 
Palace,"  the  best  in  the  city,  and  for  a  Chinese  inn  he 
warranted  it  "  not  half  bad.'*  A  short  experience 
makes  us  think  it  is  three-quarters  bad.  There  is  no 
variety  of  food;  a  messenger  sent  for  tinned  sardines 
returns  with  condensed  milk,  chocolate  and  milk,  and 
when  remonstrated  with  explains  with  injured  inno- 
cence that  they  are  tinned !  The  inn  is  economical ;  three 
different  meals  see  beefsteak  offered,  and  at  the  third 
time  of  refusal  it  is  asked  whether  it  is  not  the  same 

23 


354  THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

specimen.  **  Of  course  it  is! "  Is  it  likely,  indeed,  that 
three  different  cows  would  be  killed  to  provide  steaks 
till  a  fastidious  foreigner  gets  one  to  his  taste? 

Forth,  then,  to  explore  the  city,  and  see  whether 
the  inn  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  whole. 

PART  II.— THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

Kaifeng  is  a  has-been.  It  produces  a  worse  impres- 
sion than  the  wretched  quarters  of  Constantinople.  It 
has  no  streets,  only  broad,  straight  stretches  which  on 
rainy  days  are  seas  of  mud,  on  dry  days  clouds  of  dust. 
"  It  has  no  trade,"  said  a  disappointed  commercial 
traveller;  no  manufactures,  no  imports  of  any  conse- 
quence; a  local  market-town  it  may  be,  but  it  seems  to 
have  the  value  of  a  big,  casual  village.  It  is  not  far 
from  the  Yellow  River,  and  is  below  its  level,  but  the 
people  fear  to  tap  it  and  get  a  reasonable  supply  of 
water.  Yet  one  good  institution  is  on  the  main  street — 
a  bath-house.  Three  classes  are  catered  for,  the  cheap- 
est price  being  one  hundred  cash,  say  five  cents  gold; 
and  for  this  the  patron  may  lounge  round  all  the  even- 
ing, and  get  a  cup  of  tea  into  the  bargain.  There  were 
twenty  different  rooms,  the  tubs  let  into  the  floor,  and 
clean  water  run  in  for  each  bather. 

Beggars  swarm  here ;  outside  the  East  Gate,  for  the 
three  winter  moons,  there  is  a  free  distribution  of  millet, 
anybody  being  able  to  obtain  a  basinful.  The  poor  fel- 
lows on  the  street  are  nearly  naked. 

A  walled  area  in  the  city  encloses  several  large 
temples,  which  are  crowded  with  idols  but  not  with 
worshippers,  as  one  priest  in  each  seems  to  be  enough, 
and  he  by  no  means  overworked.  Therefore  hundreds 
of  petty  dealers  have  swarmed  in,  and  booths  are  set  up 
as  though  it  were  the  regular  market.  The  only  sign 
of  religion  left  is  that  amongst  the  peep-shows  and  con- 


^AM^^Am  ^ 


WHUKVKK    BDT8   TUK    HURS8    RIDB8    IT 


jurors  and  theatres  you  may  find  a  preaching  tent  where 
a  Buddhist  monk  is  expounding  his  classics  to  men,  or 
another  for  women.  One  temple,  being  deserted,  could 
be  explored  at  leisure,  and  a  priest  hospitably  invited 
us  to  tea.  This  gave  the  opportunity  to  see  something 
of  local  Buddhism. 

He  presented  us  with  a  charm  guaranteed  to  dispel 
all  available  evils.  There  was  a  picture  of  the  Goddess 
of  Mercy  standing  on  a  lotus,  and  some  mysterious  char- 
acters, as  intelligible  to  him  or  any  other  Chinese  as  to 
the  average  American.  How  came  this  gibberish  to  be 
standard  for  Chinese  Buddhists.  The  Buddha  always 
spoke  in  Pali,  and  his  sayings  are  still  extant  in  that 
language,  whence  all  the  sacred  Buddhist  books  are 
being  transferred  into  print.  But  many  centuries  after 
his  death  they  were  rendered  into  a  dead  language  called 
Sanscrit,  which  Indian  scholars  esteemed  the  only 
proper  tongue  for  classical  works,  such  as  the  Buddha's 
had  come  to  be.  When  the  Chinese  deputation  came  to 
get  the  Buddhist  literature,  they  were  duly  furnished 
with  the  Sanscrit,  which  was,  of  course,  as  good  to  them 
as  the  Pali.  But  strange  to  say,  they  did  not  trouble 
to  learn  Sanscrit,  nor  to  bring  with  them  a  Sanscrit 
scholar.  And  when  they  proceeded  to  make  their  treas- 
ures available  for  their  countrymen,  they  simply  trans- 
ferred the  supposed  sounds  of  a  dead  language  into  the 
nearest  Chinese  sounds.  Therefore  the  nearest  a 
Chinese  ever  gets  to  Buddhist  literature  is  when  he  pro- 
nounces aloud  his  charm;  if  his  pronunciation  is  at  all 
near  the  mark,  a  Sanscrit  scholar  might  possible  com- 
prehend the  meaning!  it  reminds  us  of  Kipling's  hero 
finding  that  in  some  Himalayan  state  a  family  of  red- 
haired  Lepchas  from  Darjeling  solemnly  chanted  every 
eventide: 


SS6  THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

"  Dir  liane  inard-i-yemen  dir 
To  weeree  ala  gee." 

And  only  when  other  circumstances  led  him  to  suspect 
a  strain  of  Irish  blood  did  he  recognise  a  distorted  ver- 
sion of: 

"  They're  hanging  men  and  women  too 
For  wearing  of  the  green." 

"  I  do  not  know  the  purport  of  even  these  words,  but 
it  may  be  that  the  god  will  understand." 

There  was  at  the  foot  of  the  charm  some  straight- 
forward Chinese,  warning  true  believers  that  it  was 
always  efficacious.  The  best  way  to  use  it  was  to  rinse 
the  mouth,  to  hold  incense  in  the  hand,  and  to  recite  it, 
kneeling,  twelve  thousand  times  daily ;  otherwise  to  pay 
for  printing  as  many  copies.  It  must  not  be  mutilated, 
and  must  be  used  with  reverence  and  sincerity.  Any 
prayer  offered  with  it  is  sure  to  be  heard,  for  preserva- 
tion of  self  and  friends,  for  happiness,  for  freedom  from 
calamity,  for  sons,  for  honours,  for  inmiunity  from 
floods  or  pestilence.  For  travellers  and  strangers  it 
has  peculiar  efficacy.  This  being  the  case,  and  Chow 
Cheng  having  in  gratitude  for  answered  prayer  printed 
a  large  edition  for  free  circulation,  we  brought  awaj^  a 
handful. 

Neglecting  the  other  more  usual  sights  of  a  Chinese 
city,  we  turned  to  the  specialties  of  Kaifeng.  Hard  by 
this  temple-market  is  the  Drum  Tower,  well  in  the  heart 
of  the  city,  but  there  is  no  view  to  reward  the  ascent. 
Another  disappointment  awaits  those  who  go  to  investi- 
gate the  Jews.  The  early  annals  tell  of  them,  and  there 
is  good  reason  to  believe  they  have  been  in  China  two 
thousand  years.  But  for  three  centuries  they  have 
gathered  at  this  capital,  and  have  degenerated  with 
it.  Two  hundred  years  ago  they  had  a  handsome  block 
of  buildings,  with  a  synagogue  60  by  40.   .Sixty  years 


m  «t  ^  ^  H  ^  $r  «" 

A  WORN   nOT   BOAT  STILL   HAS   3,000   NAILS  IK    IT 

ago  they  had  suffered  by  a  great  flood,  and  only  two 
hundred  Jews  were  left.  In  1866  Dr.  Martin  found 
that  they  had  pulled  down  all  their  buildings  and  sold 
the  materials,  some  being  built  into  a  mosque.  A  later 
observer  reported  that  some  had  turned  Buddhist,  some 
Moslem,  and  some  were  studying  the  Confucian  classics. 
To-day  we  found  that  only  seven  families  remained; 
the  very  soil  had  been  sold,  and  is  being  carted  away  to 
raise  the  level  of  other  parts,  so  that  a  stagnant  pond 
covers  the  ancient  site.  The  wretched  survivors  seem 
to  get  their  living  by  transporting  the  earth,  though  they 
so  far  recollect  their  past  as  to  have  a  few  rubbings  of 
the  former  inscriptions  to  sell.  Their  religion  has 
evaporated,  for  they  have  no  Hebrew  scrolls,  and  could 
not  read  them  if  they  had;  only  they  still  eat  no  pork, 
nor  worship  idols,  nor  burn  incense  to  their  ancestors. 
Israel  in  Kaifeng  is  a  has-been. 

There  is  a  memorial  temple  raised  by  Admiral  Shui 
Fen-ming  to  the  brothers  Tseng,  who  were  the  chief 
support  of  the  government  during  the  T'ai-p'ing  rebel- 
lion. Many  large  buildings  are  grouped  around  court- 
yards, with  winding  alleys,  moulds  for  shrubs,  beds 
for  flowers — all,  of  course,  in  a  bad  state  of  neglect.  A 
lake  contains  two  rustic  buildings  linked  by  bridges  with 
the  main  group.  One  pavilion  contains  tablets  of  one 
hundred  and  forty-nine  heroes  and  worthies  of  the  Sung 
dynast}^  but  a  visitor  had  scribbled  on  the  wall : 

"  At  Changan  *  I  look  around ;  it  is  buried  in  clouds  of  confusion. 
The  bitter  wind  of  the  Four  Seas  comes  rushing  to  my  eyes. 
The  hall  of  the  prime  minister  is  overgrown  with  grass. 

*  K'ai-f^ng  Fu  was  the  capital  of  the  Empire,  under  the  name  of 
Pien-liang,  during  the  Northern  Sung  dynasty,  from  960  to  1129.  Ch'ang-an 
was  the  old  name  for  Hsi-an  Fu  in  Shensi,  and  later  was  applied  to  any 
Imperial  capital. 


S58  THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

The  green  trees  of  parks  and  gardens  are  encrusted  with  yellow 

moss. 
By  the  use  of  arms,  misery  and  death  are  brought  into  the  country. 
How  can  the  dead  do  anything.'' 
All  is   in   confusion;   heaven  oppresses   me; 
The  warmth  of  my  heart  is  like  cold  dust." 

This  reminds  me  of  a  short  but  very  vivid  and  strik- 
ing poem  by  the  T'ang  poet,  Kao  Shih,  well  rendered  by 
Mr.  Cranmer-Byng: 

"  There  was  a  king  of  Liang — a  king  of  wondrous  might —        y- 
Who  kept  an  open  palace,  where  music  charmed  the  night. 

"  Since  he  was  Lord  of  Liang  a  thousand  years  have  flown. 
And  of  the  towers  he  builded  yon  ruin  stands  alone. 

"There  reigns  a  heavy  silence;  gaunt  weeds  through  windows  pry. 
And  down  the  streets  of  Liang  old  echoes,  wailing,  die." 

In  the  main  building  were  portraits  of  the  loyal 
brothers,  most  life-like  and  striking;  but  the  attendants, 
though  willing  to  oblige,  knew  nothing  of  the  artist. 
Hard  by  there  was  a  secondary  building  erected  by  the 
admiral  in  memory  of  himself,  like  the  economical 
American  who  put  up  a  window  in  Westminster  Abbey, 
and  got  his  own  name  as  conspicuous  as  that  of  the 
worthy  he  was  supposed  to  be  commemorating.  No 
portrait  is  here,  but  the  late  Emperor  and  his  aunt,  the 
late  Empress,  had  left  inscriptions,  "  Happiness," 
"  Longevity."  Presumably  these  were  their  good 
wishes  for  the  deceased  admiral. 

The  buildings  are  something  like  the  Albert  Hall, 
available  for  any  festivity.  When  we  saw  them,  the 
literary  chancellor  was  having  them  prepared  for  a 
banquet  to  his  official  friends.  He  had  appropriated 
130,000  taels  to  put  them  in  repair  for  various  occasions, 
said  a  native,  evidently  thinking  to  impress  us. 


A  il>  H  flt  ^  ^  'il>  H  ^  »        «*» 

A  mam's  hbart  is  kept  trou  vikw  bt  uis  skik,  a  tigsr's 

HBART  BT   HIS   HAIIk 

The  one  show-piece  of  the  city  is  the  Lungt'ing,  or 
Dragon  Pavihon,  as  to  which  we  had  had  a  marvellous 
description  on  the  train,  which  really  proved  to  be  nearly 
accurate.  Without  reproducing  our  informant's  antici- 
pation, we  may  give  some  account  of  how  it  presented 
itself  to  us.  From  a  distance  it  seemed  a  precipitous 
hill,  with  one  temple  at  the  foot  and  another  on  the  top. 
As  we  came  out  from  the  end  of  a  busy  street,  we 
found  the  entrance  flanked  by  two  huge  stone  lions, 
large  as  elephants,  and  with  the  characteristic  smile  of 
happiness.  Behind  them  was  an  ancient  archway, 
inscribed,  "  Ten  thousand  ages  without  limit."  Though 
the  hope  may  be  fulfilled,  the  structure  has  outlasted 
three  dynasties,  and  will  probably  see  the  end  of  a 
fourth.  Beyond  was  a  causeway  several  hundred  yards 
long,  with  a  blue  lake  on  one  hand,  a  brown  lake  on  the 
other,  in  which  washing  was  going  on.  Probably  the 
dirt  is  cleansed  out  in  the  brown  lake,  then  the  clean 
clothes  are  blued  in  the  other.  The  lower  temple  con- 
sisted of  two  court-yards;  in  the  outer  was  a  decrepit 
monument  with  the  mottoes,  "  Only  holiness  is  heaven,'* 
"  Only  One  Supreme."  The  most  famous  Emperor  of 
the  present  dynasty  erected  an  immense  tablet  behind, 
but  the  inscription  was  already  illegible.  The  second 
court  contained  chiefly  a  fire  urn  to  consume  paper 
sacrifices. 

Then  came  a  flight  of  steps  leading  up  to  a  higher 
temple.  On  either  side  were  rows  of  freshly  painted 
idols,  and  in  the  shrine  was  a  gilded  Yii  Huang,  "  all 
the  same  as  heaven  himself."  The  priest  was  fifty- 
two  years  old,  and  had  spent  all  his  life  here;  in  the 
intervals  of  worshippers  he  was  reading  a  borrowed 
volume  about  curious  happenings.    Hence  a  final  flight 


360  THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

led  up  to  the  top  platform;  down  the  middle  was  a  row 
of  dragons,  so  well  polished  that  it  seemed  evident  the 
worshippers  Isissed  them  as  they  climbed.  It  was  a 
disenchantment  later  to  find  that  the  polishing  was  due 
to  the  nether  garments  of  laddies  sliding  down. 

From  the  terrace  around  the  Summit  Temple  the 
whole  city  lay  unrolled,  had  there  been  anything  to  see 
worthy  of  more  than  a  passing  glance.  Behind  it  were 
the  walls  of  the  inner  city,  the  citadel  lately  garrisoned 
by  the  Manchu  troops  but  now  falling  into  ruins. 
Within  the  temple  was  the  palladium  of  the  city.  Once 
it  had  been  a  lantern,  but  it  had  changed  itself  solid, 
and  now  was  a  huge  black  stone,  5  by  4  by  5,  deeply 
carved  with  nine  writhing  dragons.  On  this  stone  was 
T*ai  Tsu  enthroned  as  first  Emperor  of  the  Sung 
dynasty,  and  here  he  sat  to  rule  China  in  peace.  Now 
it  is  cased  in,  and  can  only  be  seen  by  candle-light, 
while  enthroned  upon  it  is  an  idol.  Oh,  these  old 
historic  stone-thrones!  People  go  to  see  the  stone  of 
Scone,  on  which  Scottish  kings  were  placed  till  Edward 
carried  it  off  to  England,  and  on  which  British  kings 
sit  at  their  coronation ;  but  many  of  them  forget  that  on 
the  banks  of  the  Thames  a  few  miles  higher  up,  at 
Kingston,  out  in  the  open  air,  is  the  stone  where  the 
earlier  Saxon  kings  were  enthroned.  But  then  neither 
at  Scone  nor  at  Kingston  were  the  stones  once  magic 
lanterns. 

There  are  three  signs  of  changing  times,  two  partly 
native,  the  other  foreign:  the  Assembly  Hall,  the  bar- 
racks, and  the  mission  houses.  The  new  provincial 
Assembly  Hall  stands,  as  is  rather  usual,  in  the  old 
examination  grounds,  where  thousands  of  students  used 
to  come  up  from  the  provinces  for  their  M.A.  examin- 
ations.   How  many  tragedies  must  this  campus  have 


a  TBS   FAKMER  IS   DILIGENT  THS  SOIL   WILL   NOT  BB   I.AZT 

witnessed,  as  study  and  superstition  failed  to  carry  the 
candidate  through  the  ordeal,  and  every  three  years  the 
persevering  father  or  grandfather  appeared,  only  to 
hear,  after  the  long  suspense,  *'  Oh,  mother,  grand- 
father has  failed  again! "  These  little  cells  have  been 
deserted,  and  now  a  handsome  new  block  of  buildings 
adorns  the  grounds,  guarded  only  by  one  unarmed 
sentry.  But  again  a  closer  acquaintance  was  disen- 
chanting; picturesque  as  the  exterior  was,  a  peep 
showed  only  dust  and  disorder. 

There  are  six  barracks.  The  old  Manchu  city  is 
bereft  of  its  Manchu  garrison,  and  a  new  army  is  being 
raised,  chiefly  of  Chinese.  No  longer  is  it  important  to 
keep  up  the  distinction ;  new  weapons  and  new  drill  have 
thrown  all  else  into  the  shade.  The  Norman  man-at- 
arms  and  the  English  archer  found  their  occupation 
gone  when  fire-arms  came  in ;  the  Western  drill  and  the 
Western  arms  of  precision  have  altered  all  conditions 
here.  But  why  six  barracks?  Is  it  to  prevent  more 
rebellions  like  the  T'ai-p'ing,  to  serve  as  general  police 
in  the  province  and  prevent  more  Boxer  outbreaks?  Or 
will  this  new-model  army  presently  march  to  Tibet  and 
make  the  vague  suzerainty  very  real?  Will  it  march 
to  Manchuria  and  relieve  the  Russian  guards?  Will  it 
go  up  to  Peking  and  bow  out  the  Legation  guards?  Will 
it  go  down  to  Shanghai  and  take  charge  of  the  Foreign 
Concession?  Vainly  have  foreigners  tried  to  penetrate 
these  barracks,  and  tried  to  fathom  the  minds  of  the 
officers  or  soldiers;  no  foreigner  is  allowed  across  the 
threshold. 

Three  mission  houses  are  here,  but  we  did  not  see 
much  of  the  Free  Methodists  or  the  Southern  Baptists, 
looking  chiefly  at  the  larger  establishment  of  the  China 


362  THE  TUMBLE-DOWN  TOWN 

Inland  Mission,  which  dates  from  1884,  after  nine 
years'  clawing  for  a  foothold.  Missions  are  not  strong 
in  this  province,  occupying  only  twenty-nine  stations; 
of  course  these  are  chosen  with  some  care,  as  being 
centres  of  convenient  districts.  But  imagine  the  county 
of  Monmouth,  with  395,000  acres  and  310,000  people, 
having  just  one  Christian  minister;  that  is  the  scale  on 
which  workers  are  found  here  in  Honan. 

Here  at  Kaifeng  there  is  a  hospital  outside  the 
South  Gate,  with  two  surgeons.  In  the  summer  they 
may  have  150  out-patients ;  they  can  take  50  in-patients, 
and  the  day  before  we  visited  they  performed  18  opera- 
tions. One  of  the  native  assistants  is  very  clever;  he 
began  his  old  literary  career  when  only  twelve,  and 
passed  into  the  Middle  School  second  on  the  list.  But 
he  became  a  Christian,  and  declined  to  worship  the 
tablet  of  Confucius.  The  officials  were  loath  to  lose  a 
bright  scholar,  and  suggested  two  or  three  evasions,  but 
he  preferred  to  be  publicly  expelled  and  to  have  the 
reason  stated.  There  are  many  people  of  his  pluck. 
Many  years  ago  a  bookseller  came,  but  scholars  mob- 
bed him  and  threw  his  stock  in  the  mud ;  a  painter  picked 
up  some,  read,  and  became  interested,  and  so  wished  to 
have  some  one  to  talk  with  about  it.  Mr.  Powell  came, 
to  the  city,  and  was  requested  to  leave  it  early  next 
morning;  he  said  he  was  not  an  early  riser,  and  stayed 
ten  days.  Several  people  were  interested — a  blind  man, 
the  chief  of  the  beggars,  a  jailer,  and  an  old  lady  of 
seventy,  who  was  attracted  by  the  pictures  of  the  cross 
till  she  gave  up  trying  to  save  her  soul  by  limiting  her 
diet  to  bread  and  water.  The  painter,  now  a  benevo- 
lent-looking man  of  sixty-three,  came  and  told  us  the 
story  of  his  experience  twenty-six  years  ago. 

"  Mr.  Wang,  who  had  the  books  burned,  went  mad 
some  time  after,  and  as  he  was  dangerous  the  magistrate 


A  Family  of  Yellow  Jews  at  Kaifengfu. 


aiMB  AND  it's  OOMFCLSIOH  ;  ISN  AMD   IT!   VOLONTABT 

had  him  chained  to  a  millstone  by  his  neck;  there  he 
lived,  naked,  and  bitten  by  lice,  for  ten  years  till  he 
died.  The  books  that  I  picked  up  were  .Gospels,  an 
*  Introduction  to  Christianity,'  eight  chapters  of  Truth. 
When  I  read  them  I  felt  the  doctrine  was  true,  and 
though  I  did  not  obey  it  I  told  it  to  the  neighbours.  I 
was  an  opium-smoker,  and  so  were  most  of  my  family. 
I  expected  God  would  help  me  if  I  prayed,  but  I  did 
not  want  to  be  helped.  It  was  many  years  before  I 
heard  that  a  foreigner  was  preaching  at  Weihwei, 
beyond  the  river;  I  went  many  days  to  hear  him,  and 
when  I  came  away  he  gave  me  more  books.  But  not 
till  Mr.  Powell  came  to  Kaifeng  did  I  attend  the 
services.  When  the  Boxers  came,  I  helped  the  mission- 
aries escape.  From  Shanghai  Mr.  Powell  wrote  that 
the  Jews  there  wished  to  get  some  of  the  Kaifeng  Jew- 
ish boys,  so  I  took  two  down  to  be  educated.  When 
they  wrote  again,  I  tried  to  get  more,  but  they  will  not 
be  helped;  they  care  only  for  money.  It  is  eight  years 
ago  that  I  was  baptised,  and  now  all  my  family  have 
stopped  opium  and  are  in  the  church." 

PART  III.— KAIFENG  LITERATURE 

Kaifeng  is  a  has-been.  If  it  does  not  take  care  and 
dredge  the  Yellow  River  till  the  water  flows  below  the 
city  level,  it  is  likely  to  become  a  used-to-be.  Why  do 
they  not  get  some  California  dredgers,  which  are  able 
to  bring  down  thousands  of  tons  of  gravel  and  spread 
it  over  fertile  farms?  The  Calif ornian  farmers  would 
be  delighted.  Meanwhile  it  seems  obvious  to  turn  from 
the  squalid  present  and  to  look  back  in  its  book-shops 
for  anything  which  throws  light  on  its  past.  The  gover- 
nor indeed  was  gracious  to  present  fifty-five  volumes, 
not  only  beautifully  bound  in  silk,  but  dealing  with  a 


S64  KAIFENG  LITERATURE 

variety  of  subjects;  these  illustrate  the  best  side  of  liter- 
ature, while  the  book-shop  serves  to  reveal  what  the 
people  feed  on  to-day.  It  is  right  to  begin  with  a  baby- 
book  ;  place  aux  hibesl 

This  must  be  as  standard  as  Mr.  Chavasse's 
"  Advice  to  Mothers.*'  It  was  written  in  1662,  and  a 
handsome  new  edition  is  published  in  1910,  with  the 
attractive  title  of  "  Iron  Mirror."  "  Everybody  cannot 
always  be  healthy;  to  heal  a  baby,  look  for  white  or 
yellow  on  the  face;  but  persons  under  thirteen  are  not 
strong  enough  to  understand  the  treatment."  Rubbing 
the  baby  fingers  or  palms  seems  to  be  a  stock  massage, 
and  the  head  is  evidently  a  strong  point  with  the  diag- 
noser.  The  "  Eye  of  the  Book,"  or  table  of  contents, 
has  a  chapter  on  telling  what  the  disease  is  from  inspect- 
ing the  finger.  Other  chapters  deal  with  hard  sickness, 
cold,  fever,  baby  fear,  great  fever,  vomit,  after  pox, 
crying  at  night.  General  maxims  such  as,  "  To  heal 
the  sick,  do  not  shut  the  door  with  the  thief  inside;  do 
not  open  the  door  and  let  the  thief  in,"  give  a  general 
confidence  in  the  sense  of  the  Chinese  Chavasse.  Then 
as  the  pages  are  hastily  turned  over,  there  are  elaborate 
diagrams  of  baby  hands,  baby  legs,  baby  feet,  baby 
fronts,  baby  backs,  with  lines  running  out  to  names  and 
notes,  in  the  most  approved  scientific  style.  Rules  are 
given  where  to  push  needles  in,  or  where  to  brand;  and 
the  valuable  information  is  imparted  that  if  the  left 
temple  be  rubbed  by  a  man's  hand,  perspiration  will 
ensue,  but  a  woman's  hand  will  stop  it;  for  the  right 
temple,  the  sexes  must  be  interchanged.  Hurrah  for 
the  China  Inland  Mission  hospital  and  its  variety  of 
treatment  I  Babies  having  been  thus  honoured,  a  little 
bit  of  antiquarian  lore  comes  from  the  preface  of  the 
Annals.  The  town  first  came  into  notice  as  the  residence 
of  the  prince  of  Liang  in  the  time  of  the  Five  Dynasties. 


a  TOD'LL   RBSPECT  M>   an   inch,   I'LL  RKSritCT  TOD   AN   KU, 

From  that  time  onward  it  has  always  been  at  least 
the  capital  of  a  province ;  the  Sungs  made  it  their  East- 
ern Capital,  the  Kin  Tartars  similarly  honoured  it,  the 
Mongols  made  it  their  Southern  Capital.  In  those  days 
it  still  retained  the  old  name  of  Yuchow.  Under  the 
Chinese  Mings,  who  revived  the  old  name  Kaifeng,  it 
was  destroyed  by  robbers,  brambles  grew  over  it,  and 
the  floods  of  the  river  finished  its  ruin.  But  the  country 
was  too  rich  to  be  abandoned,  and  after  a  time  the 
city  was  rebuilt,  being  made  the  chief  town  of  a  county 
reaching  one  thousand  li  each  side  of  the  great  Ho. 
The  troubles  of  the  downfall  are  well  reflected  in  the 
few  elegies: 

"  From  Changan  '  as  I  look  back, 
Dark  clouds  cover  the  horizon; 
A  baleful  wind  from  the  four  seas 
Blinds  our  eyes. 

"  College  hall,  ancestral  shrine. 
Alike  are  overgrown  with  grass; 
Park  and  gardens  at  Taliang 
Abound  with  barren  moss. 

"  All  the  land  is  in  confusion. 
Heaven  heaps  sorrows  on  us; 
My  hot  ambitions  have  died  down 
To  hot  ashes."' 

It  will  be  evident,  then,  that  all  gleanings  of  famous 
events  and  people  will  end  with  the  seventeenth  century. 
A  few  specimens  may  be  gathered  from  various  ages. 

' "  Ch'ang-an  "  is  a  poetic  name  which  may  be  applied  to  any  Imperial 
Chinese  capital. 

•Another  version   of   this   same  poem   has   already  been   given. 


366  KAIFENG  LITERATURE 

In  the  days  when  Ch'in  was  building  the  Great 
Wall,  Fan  Chih-t*ien  was  taken  from  his  post  to  go  and 
labour  there.  His  wife,  Meng  Chiang,  made  up  a 
bundle  of  winter  clothing  and  carried  it  to  him.  But 
she  found  he  was  dead  and  his  bones  had  been  built  into 
the  wall,  so  she  walked  to  and  fro  upon  it  till  it  burst 
and  discovered  his  body.  This  she  honoured  with 
a  proper  burial,  so  that  the  people  erected  a  temple  in 
honour  of  her. 

Chao  Shun  was  prefect  here  in  the  reign  of  Ch'eng 
Ti  (3^  B.C.),  and  was  reputed  a  good  governor.  As 
money  was  scarce,  he  had  much  copper  minted  in  the 
form  of  knives.  Lin  Hung  ninety  years  later  succoured 
the  famished,  so  that  the  people  loved  and  feared  him. 

Many  great  battles  were  fought  in  this  neighbor- 
hood. In  1128  the  Kins  were  defeated;  in  1141  the 
Sungs  were  victorious.  At  one  siege  Kuan  Li-pu  * 
demanded  an  indemnity  of  five  million  ounces  of  gold, 
ten  times  as  much  silver,  a  million  pieces  of  silk,  ten 
thousand  horses,  and  as  many  oxen.  While  this  enor- 
mous exaction  shows  the  wealth  of  the  capital,  the  fact 
that  it  was  paid  explains  the  rapid  decline  afterwards 
and  one  reason  why  it  was  abandoned  in  favour  of 
Nanking.  But  probably  the  worst  siege  it  had  to  stand 
was  in  1232,  when  the  Mongols  drew  their  hosts  around 
the  city,  and  then  brought  to  bear  a  new  engine  not 
yet  used  in  warfare,  cannon,  with  gunpowder.  The 
story  runs  also  that  human  fat  was  employed,  and  that 
the  reports  caused  the  heavens  to  shake. 

A  temple  is  erected  here  to  the  Seven  Brave  Women; 
it  dates  only  from  1662,  after  the  floods,  before  which 
time  it  was  at  some  little  distance,  and  commemorated 
six  only.    Their  story  was  written  by  the  noted  scholar 

*" Li-pu"  is  the  man's  official  designation,  "of  the  Board  of  Civil 
Office." 


"Summer  Rest"  of  the  Ts'eng  Brothers'  Memo- 
rial, Kaifengfu 


HoNAN   Hall   of   Assembly,    Kaifengfu. 


)!!»  iS  ffi  ^  ^  »«^ 

A  MAN'S   rAOlt  la   WURTU  A  TUOUSAMD  TABLf 

Lin  Teh ;  who  would  remember  Herve  Riel  of  Brittany, 
had  not  Robert  Browning  inscribed  a  ballad  to  him? 
They  are  of  the  usual  type  which  Chinese  men  hold  up 
to  womankind  as  their  ideal.  Miss  Ch*en  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  was  betrothed  to  Yang  Huan ;  when  he  died, 
she  was  inconsolable;  her  parents  would  not  let  her 
attend  the  funeral,  so  she  cut  off  her  hair,  and  got  the 
match-maker  to  lay  the  tresses  in  the  coffin.  When 
her  parents  proposed  another  match,  she  hanged  her- 
self.   She  had  never  seen  her  betrothed. 

Another  remarkable  story  turns  on  transmigration, 
and  a  feud  kept  up  through  many  existences.  Sung 
Wen  found  religion,  and  became  a  monk  at  the  White 
Cloud  Convent,  where  he  was  set  to  wash  up  pots.  A 
novice  struck  one  and  fell  dead;  a  second  novice  struck 
it  and  fell  dead;  whereupon  Sung  Wen  fled  in  alarm 
to  another  monastery,  where  he  lived  to  advanced  age. 
One  day  he  felt  impelled  to  own  an  ill  deed  of  thirty 
years  before,  and  promised  to  make  public  confession 
at  noon.  Shortly  before,  an  armed  soldier  entered,  and 
at  sight  of  the  monk  became  at  once  enraged,  while  the 
monk  said  he  had  long  expected  him.  "  But  why 
should  I  feel  so  angry?  At  the  first  sight  of  you  I 
wished  to  kill  you.  What  quarrel  can  there  be  between 
us? "  The  monk  recounted  the  above  adventure,  and 
the  soldier  lamented  that  offences  and  vengence  should 
be  handed  down  so  long.  "  Were  it  not  better  to  be 
reconciled  and  journey  together  to  the  Western  Sky?  " 
So  saying,  he  died.  The  monk  picked  up  a  pencil  and 
wrote,  "  Three  and  thirty  years  have  I  wandered  in 
disguise;  who  would  have  thought  that  ancient  foes 
would  meet  this  day?  Both  of  us  were  in  mists  of 
darkness."  Then  the  pencil  dropped  from  liis  hand, 
and  he  too  started  on  his  voyage  to  the  Western  Sky. 


868  KAIFENG  LITERATURE 

In  the  Chinese  War  of  the  Roses,  two  heroes  met 
in  a  peach  garden  and  vowed  to  place  Liu  Pei  on  the 
throne ;  one  of  them  was  Kuan  Yu,  who  for  his  loyalty 
and  valour  had  long  been  worshipped  as  god  of  war. 
His  opponent  Ts'ao  Ts'ao,  who  reigned  here,  captured 
him  and  sought  by  kindness  to  win  him  over;  but  he 
wrote  a  letter  of  thanks,  saying  that  he  could  not  change 
his  allegiance.  Ts'ao  Ts*ao  in  admiration  loaded  him 
with  presents  and  escorted  him  to  the  frontier. 

One  section  of  the  Annals  deals,  as  usual,  with  lucky 
events.  This  general  omnium-gatherum  might  well  be 
entitled,  "  Challenges  to  Faith,"  but  they  were  perhaps 
recorded  as  challenges  to  interpreters.  All  are  precisely 
dated. 

Twice  did  the  Yellow  River  run  clear ;  it  was  in  the 
last  days  of  the  Hans.  Rain  and  hail  fell  in  the  shape 
of  two  green  dragons.  In  a  storm,  ice  and  wood  rained 
from  the  sky.  Two  small  dragons  like  moss  were  fished 
up  from  a  pool  and  lodged  in  the  Forbidden  City;  one 
was  missing  at  night,  and  peals  of  thunder  came;  the 
next  morning  he  returned.  During  a  great  thunder- 
storm frozen  tortoises  fell  over  ten  li.  Red  snow  ® 
fell  for  a  day.  So  much  for  meteorology.  Three  beasts 
were  caught,  like  water-buffaloes,  red,  yellow,  and 
black;  they  fought;  the  black  one  was  killed,  and  the 
others  plunged  into  the  river.  A  white  deer  was 
captured  near  Kaifeng,  four  dragons  appeared  within 
the  walls,  and  the  well-water  became  turbid.  A  crow 
changed  into  a  magpie;  next  year  a  magpie  became  a 
crow.  At  Changchow  a  fox  was  caught  with  nine  tails. 
From  Yellow  River  was  drawn  a  tortoise  with  two  heads. 

The  last  section  that  need  be  noticed  has  to  do  with 
law,  and  is  entitled,  "  How  to  Settle  Doubts."     One 

•Red  snow,  I  believe,  is  a  scientific  fact  due  to  the  presence  of 
minute  algse.    Even  frozen  turtles  or  tortoises  might  possibly  be  explained. 


M  B#  S  T  tt  B#  ffl  s«9 

WHEN  IDLE  ARBANOB  THINGS  FOR  BDST  DATS 

Solomonic  story  illustrates  how  old  saws  retain  a  place 
in  the  popular  mind,  and  what  important  results  occa- 
sionally follow  from  them. 

A  rich  man  of  ninety  had  daughters  but  no  sons. 
He  married  the  daughter  of  a  tenant,  and  died  next 
morning.  In  due  time  the  widowed  bride  bore  a  son, 
whose  legitimacy  was  challenged,  so  that  the  eldest 
daughter  claimed  the  property.  The  case  dragged  on 
for  years,  till  a  magistrate  named  Ping  Ti  fortunately 
recollected  that  "  An  old  man's  child  has  no  shadow, 
and  cannot  bear  exposure  to  the  cold."  It  was  then 
the  eighth  moon,  the  weather  yet  warm.  He  caused  the 
lad  to  be  brought,  as  also  another  of  the  same  age,  and 
both  to  be  stripped  naked.  The  claimant  soon  shud- 
dered with  cold,  and  was  allowed  to  go  out  in  the  sun- 
shine; it  was  then  seen  that  he  cast  no  shadow.  The 
estate  was  thereupon  adjudged  to  him. 


24 


XVII 
TAIYUANFU 

PART  I.— IN  THE  LAND  OF  WOLVES 

The  "  Topographical  Dictionary  of  the  Yangch'ii 
District,"  in  the  new  edition  of  1843,  tells  that  in  the 
vague  old  time  before  Ch*in  the  Great  this  was  known 
as  the  Land  of  Wolves;  the  name  Yangch'ii  appeared 
under  the  Hans,  and  afterwards  Yangchih.  The  name 
of  the  county  and  county  town,  Taiyuan,  date  from 
the  Chou  dynasty.  Its  history  is  uninteresting,  but  there 
was  one  vigorous  seige  prosecuted  by  T'aitsung;  when 
starvation  compelled  its  surrender,  the  whole  popula- 
tion was  deported  to  Chihli,  whence  a  new  population 
was  imported.  But  the  city  was  reduced  for  a  time  to 
the  rank  of  a  mere  district  town.  Such  drastic  clearance 
and  colonising  seem  out  of  favour  at  present,  though 
the  Antiochi  found  them  very  effectual  in  their  king- 
dom. Rome  did  much  the  same  at  Carthage  and 
Corinth,  and  Britain  had  to  adopt  equally  stringent 
measures  with  Acadia  when  reconverting  it  into  Nova 
Scotia. 

The  Annals  are  less  coherent  than  in  many  other 
places;  but  there  is  among  others  one  intelligible  pas- 
sage which  shows  that  progress  had  been  made  in 
developing  the  resources  of  the  province. 

We  speak  chiefly  of  those  products  which  deter- 
iorate when  removed  to  other  parts  of  the  Empire,  but 
are  of  superior  quality  in  Shansi.  Of  these  the  list  is 
headed  with  the  five  cereals;  among  which  are  named 
common  millet,  glutinous  millet,  long-stalked  millet, 

S70 


IF  TOU  EAVD  GOOD  STEKL  PUT  IT  ON  THB  BLADE  OF  TOOK  KNIFS 


371 


Taiyuan  may  be  translated  "Great  Plain."  In  Taiyuan  the  character 
"Tai"  (^J^)  is  composed  of  "great"  i/t),  the  original  ideograph  (J^) 
representing  a  full-grown  man  stretching  out  his  arms.  Then  the  "Dot" 
(  >  )  was  added  at  the  foot  of  the  character,  the  whole  of  the  character  came 
to  mean  "very  "  or  "  Excessive."  The  "  Yuan"  {J^)\s  composed  of  two  parts: 
the  first,  an  "Overhanging  Cliff"  (/^);  the  second,  a  "Fountain"  (j^)', 
combined  meaning  a  plateau  or  high,  level  field:  an  origin  or  source. 


372  IN  THE  LAND  OF  WOLVES 

wheat,  and  rice.*  The  long-stalked  (or  Barbadoes) 
millet,  called  broom-corn,  is  the  source  of  intoxicating 
drinks  loved  by  the  low.  It  also  supplies  the  choicest 
building  materials,  going  into  the  roofing,  walls,  and 
windows  of  the  houses.  Wheat  is  a  staple  in  the  better 
watered  regions,  though  in  the  northwest  scarcely  one 
in  ten  will  cultivate  it.  Rice  is  grown  near  the  water- 
courses. Among  squashes  and  melons,  the  pumpkin  is 
worthy  of  special  notice ;  sometimes  called  winter  melon, 
sometimes  foreign  melon. 

The  chief  trees  of  the  Great  Plateau  are  the  same 
as  w^est  of  Peking:  pine,  spruce,  cedar,  elm,  poplar, 
maple,  apricot,  date,  mulberry,  but  no  sugar-maple  or 
bamboo.  Of  flowers,  the  only  rarity  is  the  water-lily, 
called  here  the  water-fairy;  the  most  fragrant  are  the 
lanhua* ;  both  these  are  exotics.  Sweet  grass  or  licorice 
is  the  most  widely  cultivated  medicinal  plant.  Rabbit- 
silk  grass  grows  rankly  over  less-used  roads ;  hemp  and 
flax  of  many  kinds  supply  textiles. 

Birds  abound  on  the  Great  Plain ;  besides  the  domes- 
ticated kinds,  there  are  wild  geese,  swallows,  snipe, 
pigeons,  pheasants,  sand-grouse,  hawks,  falcons,  crows, 
woodpeckers,  and  many  others.  Foxes,  wolves,  hares, 
badgers,  and  deer  roam  over  the  plain;  but  the  careful 
zoologist  responsible  in  this  cyclopaedia  warns  the  hunter 
that  there  are  no  sharks  or  whales.  Yet  in  these  inland 
waters  are  carp  a  foot  long,  the  fish  so  dear  to  Confu- 
cius. 

Minerals  are  plentiful ;  iron  is  excellent,  and  there  is 
a  large  export  of  scissors  made  from  it.  Sulphur  and 
potash  abound,  whence  gunpowder  is  made  in  quantities. 
Coal  is  mined  in  blocks,  with  mica,  quartz,  and  alum; 
nearly  every  ore  of  any  economic  importance  is  found. 

But,  says  the  annalist,  "  the  most  conspicuous  of  the 
Great  Plateau  is  man.  The  soil  is  rich,  the  streams  deep ; 
mankind  is  solid  and  upright.      Anciently  the  mer- 

*Tliis  is  a  generic  terai  for  orchidaceous  plants. 


n  XUEaK   AXK  TUBSB   BOADS   SBKP  IN   TUB   HIODLZ   ONB 

chants  were  careful  to  avoid  overreaching  and  trickery, 
but  of  late  the  population  has  become  so  dense,  and 
such  years  of  unfavourable  seasons  have  followed,  that 
the  bankers  have  tripled  the  former  rate  of  interest." 
These  Shansi  bankers  were  and  are  famous  over  the 
whole  northern  portion  of  the  Empire. 

To  the  Annals  let  us  add  a  few  other  facts.  The 
province  contains  ten  million  people;  there  are  101 
walled  cities,  and  the  whole  area  is  about  equal  to  Eng- 
land and  Wales,  or  Illinois.  For  three  years  there  was  a 
large  production  of  opium,  about  300  tons  yearly;  and 
the  people  were  so  addicted  to  its  use  that,  in  their 
proverb,  eleven  out  of  ten  smoked  it;  a  more  prosaic 
estimate  was  seven  out  of  ten.  But  under  reform  by 
Imperial  edict  a  marvelous  change  obtains. 

The  Annals  contain  often  a  mere  chronological  set 
of  jottings,  and  the  impression  derived  by  the  reader 
is  one  of  astonishment  at  the  superstition  displayed.  If 
some  of  the  "  lucky  and  strange  occurrences  "  be  sorted 
a  little,  a  picture  of  strange  credulity  is  none  the  less 
obtained.    The  following  are  not  in  chronological  order: 

"  In  the  fourth  year  of  Hung  Wu,  there  was 
a  strange  atmospheric  phenomenon  at  Taiyuan. 
One  night  when  the  Prince's  Mansion  was  building, 
it  was  completely  destroyed  by  a  large  wind;  as 
the  good  luck  was  found  in  fault,  it  was  removed 
elsewhere.  In  the  eighth  year  of  Ch'eng  Hua, 
the  earth  was  moving.  In  the  twenty-eighth  year, 
a  demoniacal  personage  appeared,  demanding  wine 
and  food,  and,  raising  a  burning  torch,  he  threat- 
ened to  destroy  the  palace;  which  came  to  pass  in 
.  the  second  moon  of  the  next  ^''ear.  At  another 
time  a  scarlet  wind  attracted  much  attention.     In 


874  IN  THE  LAND  OF  WOLVES 

the  fourth  year  of  T'ien  Ch'i,  several  persons  were 
struck  by  lightning.  Hu,  the  maker  of  gun- 
powder, bade  his  wife  look  out  for  the  children; 
she  called  back  that  she  much  first  look  out  for  her 
mother-in-law;  which  pious  reply  ensured  the  sal- 
vation of  the  whole  family.  In  the  tenth  year  of 
Hung  Chih,  there  was  great  rain  for  ten  days  con- 
tinuously. In  the  fourteenth  year,  the  river  rose 
ten  feet.  A  satanic  fire  was  seen,  whose  lumin- 
osity extended  to  thirty  li.  In  a  shower  of  meteors, 
the  stars  fell  like  rain.  In  the  twenty-first  year  of 
Chia  Ching,  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun  occurred  at 
noon,  when  the  sky  was  so  dark  the  stars  appeared. 
*'  In  the  reign  of  T'ien  Shun  there  was  a 
remarkable  fall  of  honeydew,  especially  noticed 
hanging  on  the  trees  near  the  gate  of  the  college, 
and  the  literary  temple ;  this  was  interpreted  as  an 
omen  of  the  appearance  of  men  of  genius.  In  the 
first  year  of  Wan  Li,  a  melon  of  good  omen  was 
found  growing  on  a  vine  near  the  college  gate ;  the 
vine  was  ten  feet  long,  and  produced  eleven  water- 
melons; at  the  next  examination  eleven  candidates 
obtained  degrees.  The  wife  of  Lu  Ju  bore  three 
sons  at  once,  and  the  temples  of  the  War-god  were 
all  destroyed  in  one  night.  A  boy  of  eight  years 
grew  a  beard  and  his  body  was  all  covered  with 
hair.  In  the  ninth  year  of  Tao  Kuang,  fire  and 
smoke  came  from  the  mouth  of  a  beast." 

So  the  Annals  go  on,  like  a  daily  paper — except  that 
they  contain  no  reference  to  foreign  lands — ^jumbling 
together  wild  reports,  exceptional  occurrences,  and  real 
natural  phenomena,  which  occasionally  by  their  accu- 
rate dating  enable  astronomers  to  supply  useful  links. 
Again  and  again  they  refer  to  terrible  droughts,  or 
devastating  floods  which  follow  rain-storms,  now  that 


^i:>  s  55  ia  M  m 


375 

A  Bie  HKAKT  l^  BKTT£K  THAN  A  BIO  HOVMI 


the  soil  is  denuded  of  trees.  In  1877  a  famine  is  esti- 
mated to  have  swept  away  some  millions  of  hmnan 
beings ! 

The  ignorance  and  superstition  of  the  people  are 
not  things  of  the  past  only,  but  are  fraught  with  peril 
still.  We  were  journeying  in  a  mule-cart  from  Taiyuan 
to  Fenchow ;  as  the  road  was  dusty  and  the  day  hot,  we 
lay  down  to  sleep,  helmet  on  head  and  loaded  repeater 
rifle  at  side.  When  we  awakened,  the  cart  was  at  rest  in 
a  small  town,  with  hundreds  of  men  crowded  around.  As 
we  crawled  out,  a  panic  struck  the  mob,  who  yelled  and 
ran.  The  law  of  gravitation  held,  and  those  nearest 
the  cart  were  repelled  by  a  force  greater  than  those  at 
a  distance,  so  that  soon  there  were  heaps  of  people  look- 
ing as  if  several  football  games  had  been  in  progress. 
This  is  not  what  is  expected  from  the  lethargic  Celestial, 
and,  rather  than  await  a  reaction,  the  carters  drove  off 
promptly  at  a  wild  gallop.  Such  an  experience  helped 
us  to  understand  the  terrible  events  of  the  year  1900  at 
Taiyuan,  as  to  which  there  seems  to  have  been  a  con- 
spiracy of  silence,  but  of  which  there  must  be  a  brief 
notice  here. 

When  the  governor  of  Shantung,  by  pressure  of 
foreign  diplomats,  was  removed  from  that  province, 
he  was  decorated  in  Peking  by  the  Empress  Dowager 
with  an  adornment  worked  with  her  own  hands,  bear- 
ing the  character  "  Happiness,"  and  was  sent  to 
Taiyuanfu  as  governor  of  Shansi.  A  tool  was  ready  to 
his  hand  in  Er  Ming,  a  Manchu  graduate  awaiting 
office.  Er  Ming  inveigled  forty-five  missionaries  into 
coming  to  the  capital,  under  pretence  of  offering  pro- 
tection. Yti  Hsien  carried  out  his  mistress*  orders,  and 
not  one  escaped.     There  is  an  arched  gateway  in 


376  IN  THE  LAND  OF  WOLVES 

Taiyuan,  where  a  Christian  lady  tried  to  save  two  chil- 
dren. Mad  with  superstition  and  blood,  the  mob  threw 
them  back  again  and  again,  piled  furniture  on  all  three, 
and  slowly  roasted  them  to  death,  roaring  out  diabolical 
shouts  of  gladness.  Throughtout  the  province  were 
similar  scenes,  and  when  the  storm  had  lulled,  the 
wreckage  of  all  foreign  influence  seemed  complete.  No 
alien  was  living,  no  premises  owned  by  aliens  but  were 
ruined,  and  every  sympathiser  with  aliens  was  either 
murdered  or  in  exile.  Er  Ming  was  rewarded  with 
the  governorship  of  Anhwei;  where  his  murder  by  a 
Chinese,  as  elsewhere  mentioned,  had  no  reference  to 
his  treachery,  but  to  his  being  a  Manchu,  one  of  a  hated 
race  which  after  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  is  still 
regarded  by  the  Chinese  as  alien. 

After  ten  years  the  contrast  in  marvellous — rail- 
road, foreigners  many,  public  restitution.  A  Shansi 
University  has  been  established  on  modern  lines,  and  a 
party  of  twenty  Masters  of  Arts  thence  are  pursuing 
a  six  years'  course  of  post-graduate  study  in  Britain. 

By  way  of  contrast,  study  some  inscriptions  placed 
five  hundred  years  ago  on  the  college.  A  proclamation 
begins  with  the  announcement  that  "  The  scholar  is  the 
highest  of  the  four  classes  of  the  people."  Much  of 
course  depends  on  what  makes  a  scholar.  Another 
carving  announces  that  "  The  object  of  learning  is  the 
increase  of  knowledge."  Ponder  over  the  significance 
of  that  statement.  In  Europe  the  schoolmen  were 
nearly  at  the  end  of  their  work ;  the  limits  of  knowledge, 
according  to  their  methods,  were  all  but  reached,  only 
they  did  not  divine  the  fact.  They  were  laboriously 
threshing  straw  into  chaff,  all  the  wheat  having  already 
been  garnered  out.  Rogers  Bacon  was  ready  to  pioneer 
further,  but  the  observation  of  his  followers  condemned 


^  ^  Ji. »  «  »" 


A  POOR  FAMILY  NEEDS  A  QUOD  Wm 


him  to  uselessness,  and  it  took  the  break-up  of  Constan- 
tinople, the  discovery  of  a  new  world,  before  the  scholars 
had  fresh  facts  and  methods  at  their  disposal.  But  the 
Chinese  Emperor  had  not  been  dulled  into  such  apathy ; 
he  was  not  content  with  the  regulation  essays  on  abstract 
themes,  and  he  warned  all  young  students  that  they 
must  aim  at  progress  and  discovery.  It  sounds  like  a 
modern  regulation,  that  no  one  can  obtain  a  doctorate 
unless  he  makes  some  original  contribution  to  knowl- 
edge. However,  the  stolid  conservatism  of  those  days 
and  the  perfect  self-sufficiency  of  the  Chinese  made  this 
motto  an  empty  adjuration.  It  was  1729  a.d.  before 
a  Manchu  Emperor  put  out  a  new  programme  of 
studies  here.  "  Attend,"  said  he,  "  to  practical  arts 
which  will  be  useful  in  governing."  Monthly  examina- 
tions were  ordered,  not  only  in  literature,  but  also  in  the 
art  of  government,  in  civil  and  criminal  law,  and  in 
the  principles  of  finance.  The  statutes  of  the  Ta  Ch'ing 
Empire  were  revised  and  republished,  and  were  advised 
as  an  important  text-book.  How  needful  was  such  a 
curriculum  may  be  seen  from  a  discourse  by  one  of  the 
Ming  Emperors,  graven  on  stone  at  the  college: 

"  Veneration  and  Unity  " 

"  Veneration  means  respect  for  a  serious  purpose. 
If  the  sovereign  cherishes  it,  his  faults  will  be  few.  If 
his  ministers  cherish  it,  they  will  not  fail  in  their  duty. 
In  one  word,  it  comprehends  the  exercise  of  luminous 
intelligence.  Unity  means  an  unmixed  regard  for  right 
principles.  As  is  said  in  the  Ancient  Book  of  History, 
*  Virtue  is  one,  and  all  actions  should  be  harmonious ; 
good  luck  may  be  expected  to  follow.'  .  .  .  We  our- 
selves have  been  a  student,  and  we  versify  these  prin- 
ciples of  our  mutual  stimulus  and  edification: 


378  CITY  AND  CITIZENS 

"  Let  all  the  world  these  virtues  twain  acquire. 
Then  peace  will  hold  within  ten  thousand  li. 
In  character  and  conduct  let  them  practice  these. 
To  virtue  hold,  to  veneration  too, 
And  unity;  these  are  the  primal  things. 
If  unity  be  lacking,  virtue's  gone; 
If  veneration,  trouble  will  arise. 
The  sovereign  himself  reveres  high  heaven; 
Then  he  is  elder  brother  of  the  whole; 
From  him  all  laws  go  forth,  all  pardons  too; 
By  him  the  plans  for  all  the  realm  are  framed. 
Watch  now  disunity;  pure  and  mixed. 
Frivolity  and  seriousness,  are  quite  opposed. 
Watch  then  your  thoughts,  here  spring  ideals 
Which  afterward  take  shape  in  outward  act. 
In  heaven  and  on  earth,  these  answer  quick 
As  the  drum  rolls,  when  beaten  by  the  stick." 

Now  when  an  Emperor  had  nothing  better  to  issue 
as  an  allocution  to  his  subjects,  stringing  on  his  verses 
for  more  than  a  hundred  lines,  was  it  not  time  for  some 
reform?  It  is  most  significant  that  all  progress  in 
China  seems  to  coincide  with  the  upheaval  caused  by  a 
new  dynasty,  especially  one  which  brought  in  a  breath 
from  outside.  Nations  need  to  be  fertilised  by  pollen 
from  without,  not  to  breed  in  and  in.  It  has  been  the 
salvation  of  England  to  have  foreign  dynasties  come 
again  and  again — ^Dane,  Norman,  Scotch,  Dutch,  Ger- 
man, every  one  breaking  down  a  little  insular  preju- 
dice. It  was  the  Mongol  and  the  Manchu  dynasties  that 
slightly  roused  China  from  her  torpor;  now,  without 
a  dynastic  change,  the  foreign  influence  has  made  a 
deep  inroad. 

PART  II.— CITY  AND  CITIZENS 

It  is  not  needful  to  follow  all  the  ups  and  downs 
of  the  city.  The  key  to  its  importance  is  that  it  lies  well 
exposed   to   the   dangerous   north,   and   therefore   is 


^  Ifil  *  llj  It  »^« 

SOM'T  walk  ok  ▲  TIGER- niLt 

sheltered  by  the  loops  of  the  Great  Wall  to  the  north, 
forming  two  lines  of  defence  there,  and  also  by  the 
return  Wall  running  due  southward,  and  thus  forming 
an  easterly  breakwater  against  the  tide  of  invasion. 
The  city  itself  lies  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  range,  and  its 
site  is  so  chosen  that  it  can  protect  the  fertile  plain 
southward,  once  apparently  a  lake,  and  now  supporting 
a  large  population.  It  is  under  the  Sung  dynasty,  about 
450  A.D.,  that  a  settlement  is  first  heard  of,  but  it  was 
vastly  augmented  in  1377,  shortly  after  the  expulsion 
of  the  Mongols,  when  Marquis  Hsiao  built  a  wall  24  li 
in  circumference  and  35  feet  high,  with  a  brick  moat 
80  feet  deep.  Of  its  eight  gates,  four  bore  the  names 
of  Military  Prowess,  Welcome  to  Spring,  Welcome  to 
Rains,  and  Check  on  the  Regions  Afar.  But  the  later 
Ming  Emperors  forgot  the  military  importance,  and 
allowed  the  fortifications  to  decay. 

By  curious  irony,  when  the  Manchus  had  defied  the 
Check  on  their  Regions  Afar,  they  set  to  work  speedily 
to  repair  here.  Some  towers,  with  the  wall,  were  rebuilt, 
new  ones  were  erected,  and  in  all  provision  was  made 
for  seven  camps.  Of  course  the  object  of  the  Manchus 
in  such  fortification  was  to  plant  a  Manchu  garrison 
alongside  the  city,  just  as  William  the  Norman  bridled 
England  with  castles  for  his  Normans  everywhere.  In 
the  last  reign  the  local  magistrate  dreamt  about  a  bear. 
This  is  the  symbol  of  military  strength,  and  more  than 
a  symbol,  as  soldiers  seeking  courage  and  strength  feed 
on  soup  from  bears'  paws;  the  magistrate  therefore 
erected  a  temple  to  the  War-god,  adjoining  the  drill- 
ground. 

There  are  no  signs  of  new  local  fortifications  now; 
the  armies  preparing  in  every  quarter  will  hardly  be 


380  CITY  AND  CITIZENS 

needed  for  garrison  duty.  China  is  awakening,  and  she 
scarcely  stands  in  any  fear  of  peril  from  the  north, 
despite  the  Russo-Japanese  Manchurian  railway.  She 
will  not  need  to  stand  on  the  defensive,  but  any 
"  lessees  "  at  Dalny,  Weihaiwei,  or  Kiaochow  may  per- 
haps think  it  wise  to  sell  their  leases  or  strengthen  their 
walls. 

Before  the  old  order  passes  away,  not  only  the  city 
but  its  inhabitants  deserve  study:  and  a  few  of  the  local 
notabilities  may  be  passed  in  review. 

At  the  northwest  angle  of  the  town  is  a  temple  to 
the  Singing  Calf,  where  prayers  for  rain  are  often 
offered.  This  man  was  minister  to  an  ancient  prince  of 
Chou,  who  lamented  the  incorrigible  obstinacy  of  his 
people:  "  Sparrows  enter  the  sea  and  turn  to  oysters, 
pheasants  enter  the  river  and  turn  to  frogs;  but  men, 
alas,  turn  to  nothing! "  Tou,  however,  apologised  for 
them,  and  won  his  fame. 

Chu  Ting-chang  was  prefect  here,  and  had  a  high 
character  for  probity.  A  rebel  band  captured  the  city, 
and  the  chief  bade  him  kneel;  he  indignantly  replied 
that  his  family  might  be  broken,  but  not  bent.  Having 
"  lost  his  face  "  by  the  capture,  he  resisted  all  efforts  to 
spare  him,  and  was  put  to  death. 

Hu  Yen  held  many  offices,  and  stored  up  much 
merit.  His  sons  were  tatooed  behind  the  ear:  "  Leav- 
ing home,  forget  it  in  duty  to  the  state ;  entering  battle, 
forget  your  body  in  duty  to  your  lord."  His  wives  and 
slaves  were  trained  in  the  same  temper.  He  was  set  to 
organise  the  militia,  and  he  introduced  a  general  arm- 
ing in  self-defence,  with  a  written  bond  to  be  loyal  and 
brave,  slaying  robbers. 

Ma  Chun  was  born  in  Kansu,  where  his  father  was 
commandant  of  a  garrison.  As  a  baby  his  high  cheek- 
bones and  forehead,  his  large  mouth  and  ears,  his  square 


TBE  TURTLE  KNOWS  WUKH  TO  CONTRACT  ITS  HKAD 

nose,  gave  promise  of  eminence.  At  school  he  was 
trained  on  the  classic  of  Filial  Piety ;  this  he  exemplified 
toward  parents  and  prince,  and  he  summed  up  his 
maxims,  "  In  human  life,  be  good  yourself,  at  home 
and  in  the  state."  As  his  family  was  by  tradition  mili- 
tary, he  devoted  himself  to  equitation  and  archery,  and 
at  three  successive  tournaments  he  won  the  prize,  thus 
becoming  a  graduate  of  the  highest  rank. 

In  the  sixteenth  book  of  Yang  Chu  Hsien,  the 
record  reads:  A  priest  known  by  the  name  of  Chang 
Pa  Shih,  or  Chang  the  Octogenarian,  lived  in  the 
Temple  of  the  Ten  Quarters,  and  was  occupied  in 
menial  services  for  the  brotherhood  of  monks,  especially 
in  cooking.  Whether  in  the  cold  of  winter  or  the  heat 
of  summer  he  was  equally  diligent.  He  was  a  hunch- 
back, with  black  hair,  and  seldom  uttered  a  word.  His 
eyes  never  turned  to  the  one  side  or  the  other.  His 
clothes  and  face  were  filthy  in  the  extreme.  He  never 
touched  water.  Sometimes  he  would  take  one  meal  a 
day,  then  for  three  or  five  days  live  without  a  single 
meal.  When  questioned  as  to  his  age  he  always 
answered,  *'  Eighty."  For  several  tens  of  years  his 
answer  was  never  changed.  On  enquiring  of  the  priests 
of  this  or  other  monasteries,  none  were  able  to  give  any 
account  of  his  original  coming,  nor  had  they  any  knowl- 
edge of  his  real  age.  For  this  reason  he  was  always 
known  as  Chang  the  Octogenarian.  Certain  gentlemen, 
noting  the  tattered  condition  of  his  clothing,  offered 
him  new  clothing,  but  he  declined.  On  their  asking  him 
why  he  declined,  he  gave  no  answer  save  the  sign  of 
his  hand.  At  length,  without  any  illness,  he  passed 
away  in  the  course  of  transmigration. 

In  the  fortieth  year  of  the  reign  of  Chia  Ching,  the 
prefect  captured  robbers  who  alleged  that  they  were 


88«  CITY  AND  CITIZENS 

starving  people  to  whom  the  relief  given  was  not  suffi- 
cient. The  prince  issued  an  order  that  they  should  be 
carried  out  to  the  Hanging  Bridge  and  have  their  legs 
broken,  and  at  the  same  time  that  relief  should  be  given 
to  the  distressed  people.  By  this  judicious  combination 
of  severity  and  kindness  order  was  restored ! 

In  the  reign  of  Wan  Li,  three  persons  were  beg- 
ging for  food  in  a  great  famine.  One  was  an  old  man, 
the  second  a  young  man,  the  other  a  woman.  They 
had  gathered  up  a  number  of  infant  children  who  had 
been  cast  away,  and  were  giving  them  food;  now  they 
were  offering  them  at  a  small  price  to  people  who  had 
no  children,  who  were  allowed  to  carry  them  away 
naked,  and  thus  many  were  saved  alive.  These  three 
persons  by  this  means  not  only  escaped  death  them- 
selves, but  saved  the  lives  of  these  children.  That  in 
their  extremity  they  should  show  this  kindness  proved 
that  their  hearts  were  full  of  human  feeling,  their  merit 
was  beyond  bounds;  and  they  are  remembered  as  the 
Good  People  of  the  Bridge. 

Fan  Tzii  Ying  was  an  official  here  in  the  days  when 
a  rebellion  occurred  under  Li  Chuang,  who  was  saluted 
by  his  followers  as  Emperor,  and  was  marching  on 
Peking,  which  he  did  at  last  capture,  and  reigned  there 
for  ten  days.  On  his  march  through  Shansi  he  captured 
Taiyuan.  A  squadron  met  Fan,  who  offered  them 
wine  but  declined  to  kneel.  Instead  he  edged  his  way 
to  a  large  brick,  which  he  threw  at  their  leader,  almost 
killing  him.  He  was  haled  away  to  the  pretender, 
whom  he  reviled  contemptuously — conduct  much 
admired  when  forcible  resistance  is  no  longer  possible. 
He  was  strangled. 

Such  anecdotes  reveal  the  conduct  that  appeals  to 
the  popular  taste  and  has  served  to  form  the  character 
of  many  generations.    If  an  English  history  be  taken 


^M!2lic  888 


DRAWING  WATKR  WITH   A  BASKET 


up,  and  a  list  of  a  few  noted  men  be  made — ^Wyclif , 
the  Black  Prince,  Chaucer,  Hotspur,  the  King-maker, 
Caxton,  Wolsey,  More — it  is  worth  pondering  over  the 
contrast  revealed. 

English  classics  do  not  contain  many  sections 
devoted  to  the  praise  of  women.  Leave  out  mere 
queens,  who  would  have  attracted  no  attention  but  for 
their  rank,  and  we  look  almost  in  vain  for  any  heroines. 
But  in  the  provincial  annals  here  it  is  far  different; 
three  instances  may  be  taken  from  the  period  glanced 
at,  so  barren  in  the  English  annals. 

Mrs.  Chao  in  her  girlhood  bore  the  name  Hui  Pao, 
"  Precious  Wit  " ;  later  she  received  a  literary  title,  the 
"  Ornament  of  Letters."  She  became  the  wife  of  a 
professor  in  the  leading  college  in  Taiyuan.  She  dis- 
tinguished herself  by  duty  to  those  above  her  and  by 
kindness  to  those  below.  By  unfailing  regard  for  rules 
of  politeness  she  had  a  great  reputation  for  virtue  and 
intelligence.  Not  long  after  her  marriage  her  husband 
was  taken  sick,  when  this  noble  woman  watched  at  his 
bedside,  personally  preparing  his  soup  and  medicines, 
which  she  always  tasted  with  her  own  lips.  Morning 
and  night  she  offered  up  her  prayers  on  his  behalf, 
praying  that  her  life  might  be  taken  and  his  spared. 
Nevertheless  her  husband  died,  for  all  that.  Then  she 
gathered  up  all  her  jewellery  and  ornaments  into  a 
casket,  and  said  to  her  mother-in-law,  "  Take  these; 
since  my  husband  is  dead,  I  shall  pass  the  remainder  of 
my  life  in  a  lonely  cell.  I  fear  these  things  might  be 
a  temptation  to  robbers.**  She  then  asked  leave  to  make 
a. visit  to  her  husband's  house,  that  she  might  attend  to 
some  sacrificial  rite;  she  watched  an  opportunity,  and 
hanged  herself  beside  her  husband's  coffin,  terminating 
her  life  at  the  age  of  eighteen.    Two  coffins  were  there- 


384  CITY  AND  CITIZENS 

fore  carried  forth  instead  of  one,  and  all  who  looked  on 
the  sorrowful  procession  were  moved  to  tears.  In  the 
seventh  year  of  Ch'eng  Hua  a  report  was  made  to  the 
throne,  in  consequence  of  which,  by  Imperial  decree, 
a  tablet  was  placed  over  the  door,  bearing  four  ideo- 
graphs, meaning,  "  A  true  woman  restores  the  reputa- 
tion of  her  house." 

Another  woman,  Shih  Ying,  in  her  childhood  heard 
her  father  discourse  of  chastity  and  righteousness, 
whereupon  she  remarked,  "  Neither  one  appears  to  be 
difficult."  She  married  the  chief  of  a  hundred  families, 
by  name  Ch'en  Yi,  who  died  early  in  defence  of  the 
frontier.  The  brave  widow  sent  men  to  bring  the  coffin 
home.  She  washed  the  corpse  and  clothed  it  for  burial 
with  her  own  hands.  After  that  she  scarcely  took  a 
spoonful  of  nourishment  for  seven  days,  saying,  "  I 
promised  my  husband  that  if  he  should  die  we  would 
be  buried  together.  I  mean  to  keep  my  vow.  More- 
over, I  have  no  child.  If  I  should  live,  these  chattels 
would  be  of  no  use  to  me."  Whereupon  she  distributed 
all  her  possessions  among  her  kindred,  and  prepared 
a  banner  to  be  offered  to  Buddha,  bearing  this  inscrip- 
tion, "  May  we  be  united  in  the  next  life."  Her  mother 
and  other  relations  used  every  argument,  but  she  was 
deaf  to  their  entreaties  and  hanged  herself  in  her  cham- 
ber. The  Prince  of  Tsin  heard  of  this,  and  bestowed 
on  the  family  a  quantity  of  silk  and  satin  for  funeral 
purposes. 

Han  Jun  Chich  was  the  daughter  of  Han  Yun. 
Her  family  were  very  poor;  they  lived  in  the  back 
rooms  of  one  Hao  San,  a  man  of  bad  repute.  One  day 
the  girl's  father  was  away,  and  her  mother  went  to  an 
adjoining  house  to  spin  cotton.  Hao,  having  drunk 
some  liquor,  took  advantage  of  her  solitude.  She  cried 
aloud,  and,  her  mother  returning,  the  wretch  made 


A  8HATBN   PRIEST  TRYING   TO  BAlJiNOE  AN  OLIVE  ON   HIS  HEAD 

his  escape.  When  the  father  came  back,  the  girl  wept 
and  reported  the  outrage,  adding,  "  Your  daughter 
cannot  endure  life  longer."  The  next  morning  she 
hanged  herself  and  died  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and 
so  was  honoured  with  special  mention. 

The  record  is  deficient  in  that  it  omits  to  mention 
any  punishment  inflicted  on  the  villain.  In  riotous 
times  the  case  is  different,  but  on  ordinary  occasions  any 
one  doing  violence  of  that  kind  is  liable  to  be  put  to 
death.  The  poor  and  helpless  are  sometimes  deterred 
from  bringing  the  guilty  to  justice. 

We  may  not  finish  this  chapter  in  such  a  sombre 
hue  of  selfishness.  There  remains  one  other  record 
which  is  well  worthy  the  space  in  this  book,  the  story 
of  Sung  Shih  Hua,  a  magistrate.  On  the  occurrence 
of  a  long  period  of  drought,  he  went  barefoot  to  all  the 
temples,  reciting  prayers,  and  sent  in  written  petitions 
at  each  temple  saying,  "  I  pray  you  to  bestow  a  good 
rain,  for  which  I  am  willing  to  have  three  years  deducted 
from  my  allotted  time  on  earth."  His  compassion  for 
the  people  was  so  deep  and  genuine  that  the  governor 
reported  him  to  the  throne,  and  since  that  there  has  been 
no  man  like  him.^ 

*It  is  said  of  the  king  of  the  Burgundians  that  "the  injustice  of  his 
subjects  made  him  responsible  for  the  fertility  of  the  earth."  That  was 
in  the  fourth  century  a.d.  But  in  China  the  failure  of  crops  and  the 
coming  of  famines  and  droughts  led  the  officials  to  examine  their  own 
conduct ! 


25 


XVIII 
TSINAN 

PART  I.— LEADING  UP  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

Education  and  secret  societies  used  to  be  specialties 
here;  and  they  still  are,  but  the  ingredients  are  mixed. 
To-day  many  of  the  old  "  Three  Incense  Stick," 
"  Golden  Pill,"  and  "  First  Principles  "  societies  have 
given  over  their  absurd  actions ;  they  have  throvrn  their 
influence  on  the  side  of  Christianity,  and  more  than  once 
a  whole  society  has  applied  for  membership.  As  for 
education,  both  government  and  missions  are  vying 
to  make  this  the  leading  province,  as  befits  the  district 
that  produced  Confucius  and  Mencius. 

This  being  so,  we  decided  to  stop  over  on  the  way 
up  to  the  capital,  and  to  examine  what  is  being  done  in 
two  towns  which  are  linked  with  it  in  one  system  of 
education.  For  the  Shantung  Christian  University  has 
three  departments:  arts  and  science  are  dealt  with  at 
Wei,  theology  and  pedagogy  at  Tsingchow,  medicine 
and  museum  at  Tsinan.  This  is  the  same  principle  as 
obtains  in  Canada  vnth  the  MacMaster  University,  or 
obtains  in  the  north  of  England,  where  arts  and  theology 
are  taught  at  Durham,  medicine  and  other  science  at 
Newcastle. 

The  work  here  has  obtained  a  high  reputation,  and 
it  was  an  interesting  enquiry  to  find  out  how  and  why. 
First,  then,  we  halted  at  Wei  to  visit  the  School  of 
Arts,  and  were  fortunate  enough  to  have  a  Sabbath 
there.  The  large  chapel  is  all  too  cramped  for  the 
assembly,  while  the  atmosphere  was  most  spiritual. 
Singing  equally  classic  we  have  heard  in  China,  preach- 

386 


iiam^z-mmmvim.    ^^^ 


WORSHIP  THK   IDOL,  AND   IT   SRKM8   A   aODt 
KOT  WORSHIP  THK  IDOL,  AND   'TIS  BDT  A  CLOD 


Tsinan  means  "  South  of  the  Tsi  River."     "  Tsi "  meaning 
"succor"  or  "relieve." 


388  LEADING  UP  TO  THE  CAPITAL 

ing  quite  as  eloquent,  prayers  fully  as  earnest;  but  the 
general  effect  will  rank  that  service  with  one  other  at 
London  and  one  other  at  Samoa.  Now  how  do  the 
professors  conceive  their  duty?  They  take  the  old 
Chinese  classics,  the  time-honoured  works  of  Confucius 
and  Mencius ;  they  have  nothing  to  complain  of  in  their 
ethics — so  unlike  the  barbarisms  of  Homer  and  Aristo- 
phanes and  Ovid — and  they  lecture  on  these  in  a 
Christian  spirit,  combining  reverence  for  China's  own 
great  teachers  with  loyalty  to  the  Supreme  Teacher. 

At  Tsingchow  Dr.  Hayes  has  had  the  pleasure  of 
inaugurating  a  splendid  reform  when  he  was  head  of  the 
Government  College  in  the  capital;  he  decreed  that 
there  should  be  a  holiday  every  week,  and  chose  the 
Star-day,  which  is  the  same  as  our  Sun-day.  The 
example  was  copied,  and  now  the  government  schools 
all  over  the  Empire  take  a  holiday  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week.  This  theological  college  is  going  to  produce 
muscular  Christians.  Prof.  Bruce  wants  to  buy  a 
beautiful  flat  tract  of  land  hard  by;  perhaps  he  thinks 
that  the  two  superbly  carved  honorary  portals  there  will 
serve  as  goals  when  his  students  practice  football. 

The  halt  here,  under  the  hospitable  roof  of  Dr. 
Watson,  was  diversified  not  only  by  most  interesting 
conversations  with  distinguished  scholars,  but  by  a  pil- 
grimage to  the  spot  where  in  distant  ages  Mencius  used 
to  teach;  though  the  buildings  have  perished,  two  large 
lions  mark  the  place.  His  mother  had  some  trouble 
in  choosing  her  home,  for  as  a  lad  her  boy  was  extremely 
imitative.  Living  opposite  a  butcher,  he  became  expert 
in  squealing  like  a  slaughtered  pig ;  she  shifted  opposite 
a  cemetery,  and  he  soon  could  groan  and  wail  like 
any  bereaved  widow.  Lest  he  should  go  further  and 
hang  himself,  as  widows  are  fond  of  doing,  she  moved 
opposite  a  Confucian  school;  here  he  saw  well-dressed 


Draw::  i  >  ^luu  Tien  Cliih  of  Tsinan. 

Hedgehog  eating  Chinese  musk-mellon. 


#  fl^  T^  »,  »  fl^  T-  # 

IT   YOD    KNOW    HOW,    A    THING    IS    NOT   HARD, 
W  IT   18   UABD,    THKN    TOD    DON'T   KNOW    HOW 


389 


gentlemen  and  scholars  behaving  excellently,  and  she 
was  in  due  time  rewarded  by  seeing  him  grow  up  to  be 
a  sage  himself.  A  great  deal  of  attention  is  paid  at  the 
college  now  to  inculcating  good  manners  according  to 
the  most  approved  Chinese  etiquette. 


The  Moon.    From  an  Ancient  Tablet  at  Tsinan. 

The  work  here,  as  at  the  other  centres,  is  capable  of 
great  expansion.  The  Americans  remind  their  country- 
men that  Shantung  has  a  population  as  great  as  is  west 
of  the  Mississippi,  which  rejoices  in  one  hundred  and 
ninety  colleges,  while  Shantung  has  only  these  three, 
so  that  they  ought  to  be  made  first-class  in  their  equip- 


390  MEDICINE,  MUSEUM,  AND  MEN 

iiient.  Their  graduates  have  won  a  reputation  all  over 
the  Empire;  the  colleges  of  other  missions  or  of  the 
government  eagerly  compete  for  their  services.  To 
obtain  entrance,  a  student  must  be  twenty  years  old 
and  pass  in  eight  subjects:  literature — parts  of  the 
odes  and  history  memorised,  exposition  of  the  Four 
Books,  short  essay;  mathematics — arithmetic,  and  alge- 
bra to  quadratics;  general  geography,  and  history  in 
outline;  Bible  history.  And  after  such  stringent 
requirements  for  admission,  the  course  occupies  seven 
years. 

PART  II.— MEDICINE,  MUSEUM,  AND  MEN 

The  remainder  of  the  university  lies  at  the  capital, 
and  to  this  the  German  railway  conveyed  us  by  a  route 
evidently  chosen,  not  for  directness,  but  to  accommo- 
date the  best  mineral  districts ;  it  wound  up  with  coiling 
round  the  city  and  obliging  it  with  three  stations. 

Here  the  southern  suburb  was  supposed  to  be 
haunted  by  demons,  but  had  most  eligible  land,  so  a 
large  area  was  secured  cheaply  on  which  a  fine  series 
of  buildings  is  enclosed  by  an  ornamental  wall  with  a 
handsome  gateway.  This  had  the  eifect  of  dispelling 
the  bad  reputation,  and  now  the  suburb  is  rapidly 
filling.  A  handsome  hospital  and  a  medical  college 
have  been  newly  established.  It  will  be  chiefly  for  the 
alumni  of  the  Arts  College  which  will  soon  be  moved  to 
the  capital  and  for  young  men  at  least  twenty  years 
old  from  Christian  families;  but  any  one  may  enter 
who  is  of  good  character,  can  pass  a  stiff  entrance 
examination,  and  will  abide  by  the  rules.  It  is  plainly 
stated  that  the  whole  establishment  is  conducted  under 
Christian  influences.  We  found  twelve  students  at 
work  with  modern  high-power  microscopes. 

When  in  the  regular  examination  for  degrees  essays 
were  announced,  not  on  "  The  Comparative  Value  of 


FALSB  HDMU.lTir   IS  OKMOIMK  A&KOOANOB. 

Alcaics  and  Sapphics,"  or  "  The  Five  Wisest  Men  of 
Shantung,"  or  some  threadbare  literary  maxim,  but 
"  The  Thermometer  and  Its  Uses,"  "  The  Barometer," 
or  "  The  Steam-engine,"  there  was  hardly  any  place  in 
the  province,  outside  Weihaiwei,  where  any  information 
could  be  obtained,  except  from  this  university. 

On  the  opening  of  the  railway  the  museum  was 
transferred  to  the  capital ;  within  four  months  at  Tsinan 
more  than  102,000  visitors  had  come.  What  now  do 
they  see?  They  recognise  by  great  diagrams  all  sorts 
of  facts  about  population,  areas,  resources,  and  manu- 
factures, and  no  one  who  studies  these  can  remain  under 
any  illusion  about  China  being  the  Central  Kingdom 
of  the  earth.  One  youth  of  high  rank  arrived,  "  with 
his  head  in  the  clouds  and  his  feet  in  the  Sung  dynasty." 
He  was  shown  all  round,  then  thoughtfully  desired  to 
be  taken  round  again,  and  when  he  returned  to  his  host, 
the  governor,  he  is  said  to  have  declared,  "  Why,  the 
only  thing  that  China  is  ahead  in  is  population."  Hard 
by  the  city  flows  the  Yellow  River  in  an  elevated  bed,  a 
constant  terror  to  the  people;  inside  the  museum  they 
see  a  dredge  model,  which,  when  coupled  up  to  a  bat- 
tery, sets  to  work  and  scoops  a  channel.  A  model  of 
the  Institute  itself  is  readily  recognised;  then  models 
to  scale  of  St.  Paul's  and  the  Capitol  show  the  size  of 
Western  buildings.  A  typical  cemetery  model  shows 
how  the  virtue  of  filial  piety  is  esteemed  outside  China. 
A  large  globe,  made  on  the  premises,  enables  them  to 
see  the  real  position  and  importance  of  their  land. 

The  sacred  mountain  of  Tai  Shan  attracts  many 
pilgrims,  and  it  has  now  become  an  established  custom 
for  the  pilgrims  to  visit  the  museum  in  this  town.  These 
people  in  particular  are  thinking  of  their  souls,  and  can 
be  directly  approached,  if  they  do  not  themselves  broach 


392  MEDICINE,  MUSEUM,  AND  MEN 

the  topic.  The  work  done  is  then  valuable,  and  is 
extending  constantly.  Last  year  215,000  passed 
through  the  turnstiles.  The  Monday  of  our  visit  was 
ladies'  day,  when  two  thousand  women  came  to  the 
"  Hall  of  Rare  Things." 

While  this  represents  a  very  exceptional  side  of  mis- 
sionary effort,  more  ordinary  agencies  are  not  neglected, 
and  an  instance  of  their  success  may  be  given  in  Elder 
Lin  Ching  San,  the  oldest  Presbyterian  in  the  province. 
He  was  invited  to  come  and  talk  with  us,  and  gave  an 
outline  of  his  career.  He  was  born  at  the  foot  of  the 
I  Shan  hills  on  the  twenty-fifth  of  the  first  moon  in  the 
eighth  year  of  Tao  Kuang  (1828) ;  and  as  his  grand- 
father was  then  sixty  years  old,  he  received  the  baby 
name  of  Sixty.  As  a  tiny  lad  he  wandered  about  the 
hills,  gathering  mugwort  to  be  brewed  into  medicine  for 
headache,  or  bathing  in  the  pool  beside  his  home,  fed 
from  the  boiling  spring  higher  up  the  hills.  But  as  he 
grew  to  boyhood,  he  heard  of  the  family  hopes  centring 
in  him.  For  thirty  years  his  father  had  been  a  scholar, 
till  family  claims  drove  him  into  business ;  now  it  was  for 
him  to  repay  this  self-sacrifice  and  shed  lustre  on  the 
ancestral  name.  Should  it  be  by  scholarship,  or  could  he 
repeat  the  glories  of  the  man  who  six  centuries  earlier 
had  on  this  mountain  become  a  fairy? 

Scholarship  first;  so  for  ten  years  was  hard  study. 
Then  came  the  test  at  the  examination  hall  near  the 
famous  Pleasure  House  of  Tengchow,  on  a  high  rock 
by  the  sea.  Lin  duly  burned  his  three  sticks  of  incense 
before  the  God  of  Literature,  and  prayed  for  success; 
but  he  failed.  In  disgust  he  threw  up  all  study,  and 
his  father  harnessed  him  into  business.  But  now  revived 
the  memory  of  the  idler  who  had  been  transmuted  into 
a  fairy,  and  he  leaned  towards  occult  lore.  Ping  An, 
a  balanced  heart,  was  the  goal  of  his  spiritual  wander- 


ff  ff  a.  ff  ff  ii  «»» 

OF   EVBRYTHINli    HK    KNOWS    A    LITTLE, 
AMD  K^OWS  BUT  UTTLK  OY  EVERY   TUINO 

ings,  and  his  first  teachers  were  Taoists.  For  ten  years 
he  placed  himself  under  their  direction  and  went  through 
his  spiritual  exercises ;  he  sat  upright  for  hours,  he  held 
his  breath  for  long  minutes,  trusting  that  thus  his 
material  part  would  refine  and  his  better  nature  would 
develop.  "  Ease  of  conscience  and  everlasting  purity 
of  heart  "  were  promised,  but  they  failed  to  come. 

Ping  An  was  not  attainable  from  the  Taoists;  so 
for  five  years  he  turned  to  the  Buddhist  monks  and  fol- 
lowed their  prescription  for  a  balanced  heart.  But  here 
again  the  aim  was  distinctly  self-centred,  and  man  is 
a  social  animal.  In  weariness  at  the  delusive  method, 
he  revolted  violently  from  this  meditative  isolation  and 
flung  himself  into  a  strenuous  life. 

The  T'ai-p'ing  rebels  were  becoming  dangerous, 
and  he  decided  to  balance  his  heart  on  active  service.  He 
practised  now  bodily  exercises,  learned  to  wrestle  and 
fight,  enlisted  and  drilled  a  troop  of  men,  and  shared  in 
a  dozen  fights.  Such  fame  did  he  win  that  when  a 
bravo  was  engaged  to  assassinate  him,  but  discovered 
that  Lin  was  the  victim-elect,  he  hastily  relinquished 
the  commission.  The  rebellion  was  quashed,  and  he 
sought  his  reward;  to  his  astonishment  he  found  that 
the  leader  whom  he  had  served  was  but  a  free-lance  like 
himself,  with  no  authority  to  bestow  oflSce  or  wealth. 
His  heart  was  unbalanced!  Two  more  years  thrown 
away  in  arduous  toil,  and  Ping  An  as  far  off  as  ever! 

This  modern  Justin,  after  four  vain  quests  for  peace, 
turned  from  Buddhist  meditation,  from  patriotic  adven- 
ture, and  sought  if  the  foreigner  could  balance  his  heart. 
He  met  the  Presbyterians,  and  in  the  teaching  about 
Jesus  Christ  found  the  Ping  An  which  had  eluded  him 
these  weary  years.    He  was  one  of  the  first  seven  men 


394  NEW  CITY,  NEW  PEOPLE 

baptised  in  Shantung,  and  ever  since  has  used  his  talents 
and  his  resources  in  all  manner  of  good  works,  aiding 
the  poor,  starting  schools.  This  venerable  elder  of 
eighty-three,  bidding  us  farewell,  expressed  his  convic- 
tion, not  only  that  his  own  heart  had  found  its  balance, 
but  that  Christianity,  internal  Christianity,  was  suc- 
ceeding in  China. 

PART  III.— NEW  CITY,  NEW  PEOPLE 

If  to  the  Chinese  the  Baptist  museum  is  the  curi- 
osity, the  city  of  Tsinan  is  the  curiosity  to  the  foreigner, 
and  not  only  the  city  but  the  country  around.  Dense 
as  the  population  is  generally,  it  crowds  and  packs  near 
the  river.  Rhode  Island  has  400  to  the  square  mile, 
Belgium  589,  but  this  province  averages  680,  and  near 
the  Yellow  River  has  1,700.  Sixty  years  ago  this  river 
changed  its  bed  for  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  It 
settled  down  more  or  less  on  a  new  channel,  a  li  wide 
and  fifty  feet  deep,  which  it  appropriated  from  the 
Great  Pure  (Taching)  River.  This  it  has  filled  up, 
and  the  river  guards  have  had  to  build  high  banks  on 
either  side,  till  at  high  flood  time  the  water  is  twenty 
feet  above  the  plain.  They  cannot  keep  this  up  indefi- 
nitely, and  own  that  within  twenty  years  some  new 
method  must  be  found,  or  the  river  will  burst  into  a 
new  course.  Here  is  a  dense  population  awaiting  its 
impending  doom.    Dredging  is  an  obvious  remedy. 

There  have  been  other  singular  changes  besides  this 
diversion  of  the  river  waters.  Originally  this  was  the 
head  of  the  kingdom  of  Tan,  but  a  larger  kingdom 
twenty-five  miles  to  the  east  merged  with  it,  the  name 
Tsinan  being  derived  from  a  river  which  flowed  by  it. 
A  line  of  men  is  said  to  have  been  formed  from  that 
capital  to  this,  and  the  bricks  forming  the  wall  there 
were  passed  from  hand  to  hand  all  in  one  night.    They 


-  1@  JE  *  tt  T^  WhI  »»« 

ONK   HAND   CANNOT   MAKE  A   CLAP 

had  served  for  twenty  li  of  wall,  but  after  wastage  only 
served  for  twelve  on  this  site.  Perhaps  the  shortage 
accounts  for  the  fact  that  the  north  wall  had  to  run 
through  swamps,  thus  enclosing  what  has  come  to  be 
pleasant  lagoons,  with  restaurants,  temples,  horticul- 
tural ponds,  and  mosquitoes.  Seventy  springs  supply 
more  water  than  the  city  needs,  and  it  is  difficult  to  get 
the  overflow  away  even  by  a  special  canal.  These 
springs  are  at  once  the  pride  and  the  nuisance  of  the 
city. 

In  the  sixth  century  a.d.,  a  statue  of  the  Buddha 
was  erected  here  on  a  pedestal  which  was  recently 
imearthed  by  the  Presbyterians  when  making  ready  for 
building.    It  bears  the  inscription: 

"  In  the  year  Kuei  Wei  of  the  great  Ch'i 
dynasty,  the  second  year  after  the  Yellow  River 
became  clear,  on  the  second  day  of  the  fourth  moon, 
a  devout  disciple  of  the  Buddha,  Mrs.  Hsi  [and 
ten  other  notables],  devoutly  made  an  iron  image 
of  the  Buddha,  sixteen  feet  high,  and  inscribed 
this  tablet.  May  the  Emperor,  the  province  and 
the  people  for  seven  generations  remember  this, 
and  may  all  the  people  of  Buddhadom  share  these 
blessings." 

A  list  of  forty-four  men  and  twenty-five  women  fol- 
lows, subscribers. 

A  handsome  street  runs  east  and  west,  which  has 
lately  been  rebuilt  with  two-story  shops.  The  gover- 
nor's residence  fills  a  large  space  in  the  centre,  well 
wooded  and  watered.  To  the  northwest  is  a  normal 
school,  on  the  site  of  the  former  examination  hall,  and 
this  is  only  one  of  the  many  new  scholastic  buildings. 


396  IN  THE  HOME  OF  LITERATURE 

There  are  private  and  mission  schools,  graded  publi© 
schools,  an  agricultural  college,  military  cadet  schools, 
and  a  provincial  college.  In  the  eastern  suburb  the 
American  mission  is  established;  in  the  southwest  is 
the  military  cadet  school,  with  three  hundred  students 
well  housed;  in  the  southwest  is  the  English  museum, 
and  not  far  away  is  the  chief  mosque  of  the  thirty  thou- 
sand Moslems.  To  the  west  is  the  government  hospital, 
and  a  cotton  mill  converted  from  the  old  mint. 

A  recent  stone  wall  encloses  most  of  these  within 
suburbs  on  east,  south,  and  west;  but  so  rapidly  is  the 
city  filling  up,  that  some  of  the  newer  institutions  have 
to  be  outside  of  even  this  wall.  Thus  the  Provincial  Col- 
lege, for  four  hundred  students,  complete  with  its  own 
waterworks  and  electric  plant  (used  also  to  light  the 
residency),  has  a  site  not  far  away  from  the  museum; 
and  twelve  li  from  the  city  is  placed  the  arsenal,  well 
equipped  with  modern  machinery  and  providing  huge 
stocks  of  ammunition;  while  the  Germans  are  grouped 
by  themselves. 

PART  IV.— LITERATURE:  IN  THE  HOME  OF  LITERATURE 

Tsinan  is  the  capital  of  the  province  immortalised 
by  the  life  and  labours  of  Confucius.  If  anywhere 
letters  are  honoured  by  the  Chinese,  it  should  be  here. 
It  is  the  Stratford-on-Avon  and  Boston  of  the  Empire. 
Here  lived  the  man  who  undertook  to  review  all  the 
books  of  his  day,  to  put  upon  a  black-list  those  which 
he  thought  unworthy,  to  select  the  Hundred  Best  Books 
and  put  them  out  in  a  cheap  edition — a  sort  of  Every- 
man's Library.  Though  Confucius  wrote  but  little 
himself,  he  was  the  Dr.  Johnson  of  his  day,  the  arbiter 
of  taste  from  whom  was  no  appeal,  and  his  ideas  in 
literature  have  been  accepted  unquestioningly  till  yes- 
terday. 


WITH   RIGHT  ON   YOCB  SIDE  YOU  CAN   OO  TO  THE  ENDS  OT  THE  XABTH  ; 
WITUODT  IT,   YOD   CANNOT  STBP   AN   INCH 

But  while  in  literary  circles  men  bowed  at  the  shrine 
of  Confucius,  there  was  always  another  class  which 
could  read,  and  knew  what  it  wanted  irrespective  of 
"  culture,"  and  to  whom  a  cheap  press  was  ready  to 
minister.    "  The  Pilgrims  Progress  "  and  "  Spurgeon's 
Sermons  "  were  not  in  histories  of  literature  or  on  great 
publishers'  lists,  but  hawkers  sold  them  in  such  abund- 
ance that  Dryden  is  nowhere  beside  them.     Blank's 
magazines  may  have  nothing  permanent  about  them, 
but  their  circulation  puts  to  shame  the  circulation  of 
Hegel  and  Longfellow.    We  decided  to  search  into  the 
actual  mental  pabulum  afforded  in  this  great  capital. 
Through  the  book-shops  we  went,  and  were  rewarded 
with  a  plentiful  collection.     The  governor  was  good 
enough  to  aid  us  in  a  search  for  rarer  official  documents, 
of  which  a  goodly  supply  was  soon  forthcoming.    And 
many  hours  were  spent  in  the  Public  Library,  adjoining 
the  Parliament  Park  on  the  lake  shore,  where  streams 
of  clear  water  wind  about  among  artificial  rockwork, 
with  lily-beds  here  and  there,  and  graceful  arches  bridg- 
ing over,  carrying  winding  paths  that  connect  the  islets. 
Amid  such  pleasant  surroundings  is  this  newly  founded 
institution. 

One  part  of  its  stock  is  a  collection  by  local  authors, 
or  of  stories  about  local  heroes;  some  forty  volumes 
fall  into  this  category.  On  the  walls  hangs  a  weird 
map  of  the  city,  showing  three  gates  for  land  traffic  and 
one  for  a  canal.  Miscellaneous  notes  about  the  place 
show  that  the  county  was  "  anciently  "  believed  to  con- 
tain 1,900,356  people,  and  that  in  the  census  year  there 
were  2,452  births  more  than  deaths.  Yet  for  this  same 
county,  when  it  was  a  question  of  paying  a  poll-tax  of 
a  penny,  only  63,871  pence  were  collected.     Granted 


398  IN  THE  HOME  OF  LITERATURE 

that  men  of  other  provinces  were  exempt,  and  also  all 
men  with  degrees,  and  we  infer  either  that  illiteracy 
was  rare,  or  that  the  art  of  dodging  taxes  was  well 
understood,  or  that  figures  vary  according  as  import- 
ance or  liability  to  pay  is  in  question.  Another  refer- 
ence-book gave  the  establishment  legal  for  a  literary 
chancellor,  and  the  pay  due  to  each,  paid  out  of  the  land- 
tax.  He  had  four  gate-keepers,  who  shared  among 
them  yearly  22  taels  and  a  little  more;  twelve  general 
servants,  68  taels  and  a  little  more;  "  quick-hand  "  serv- 
ants, 68  taels  and  a  little  more;  four  chair-bearers,  22 
taels  and  a  little  more;  three  umbrella-bearers,  17  taels 
and  a  little  more;  two  waiters,  11  taels  and  a  little  more; 
two  sentries,  12  taels  and  a  little  more.  The  "  little 
more  "  is  exquisitely  vague,  but  it  does  not  refer  to  the 
great  deal  more  that  was  extorted  from  suitors  and 
visitors. 

After  this  hasty  dip  into  the  shelf  of  general  refer- 
ence, we  obtained  the  select  literature  to  which  we  had 
been  directed.  We  have  hesitated  a  great  deal  about 
presenting  it  to  general  knowledge ;  but  though  we  most 
emphatically  do  not  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  state- 
ments or  their  literary  value,  yet  we  do  avail  ourselves 
of  translations  by  a  great  Chinese  scholar,  which  may 
show  the  style  of  official  publication  issued  in  this  head- 
quarters of  classical  learning. 

The  Annals  of  the  County  of  Li  Cheng,  in  which 
Tsinan  lies,  give  the  following  information  as  to  the 
great  Ch*in  Shih  Huang  Ti : 

In  his  twenty-eighth  year  he  travelled  east  and 
came  to  Shantung.  Here  he  ascended  the  moun- 
tain I  Shan,  near  the  birthplace  of  Mencius,  where 
he  established  a  monument.  Next  he  went  to  the 
Tai  mountain,  climbing  to  the  top  by  the  south 


THE  FOX  BOSaoWS  TUB  TIOEK's  MAJESTY 

road;  here  he  established  a  stone  telling  of  his 
virtue.  Descending  by  the  north  road  he  went  up 
to  the  little  mountain,  made  a  square,  adored  the 
mountain  gods,  and  offered  a  sacrifice.  Thence 
he  went  east  to  the  sea.  At  this  time  a  letter  came 
to  him  from  Shu,  offering  a  medicine  to  make  peo- 
ple live  for  ever;  Ch'in  heard  it,  and  granted  the 
plan.  In  the  Eastern  sea  are  three  spirit  moun- 
tains whose  names  are  well  known,  but  no  one  can 
find  them.  Three  hundred  boys  and  as  many 
girls  sailed  away  to  find  them,  and  never  came 
back.  Ch*in  then  went  down  the  coast  to  the 
Yangtze,  where  he  took  boat,  till  he  met  a  great 
wind  which  hindered  his  progress.  Being  dis- 
pleased, he  asked  who  was  the  god  of  that  temple, 
and  was  told  it  was  the  daughter  of  Emperor  Yao, 
wife  of  Emperor  Shun.  In  great  anger  he 
ordered  all  the  trees  of  the  mountain  to  be  cut 
down  and  burned  till  the  mountain  was  red. 

In  the  thirty-seventh  year  and  tenth  moon  he 
travelled  east  again,  with  his  first  minister,  Li  SU, 
and  his  younger  son,  who  loved  him  and  wished  to 
follow  him.  At  every  stopping-place  he  estab- 
lished a  stone  to  state  his  virtue.  At  length  he 
reached  a  ford  where  he  had  a  heavy  sickness.  In 
the  seventh  moon  he  died;  his  minister  hid  the  fact 
that  he  was  dead. 

From  the  poems  of  Tsang  Yang  we  copied  a  lyric 
which  has  seven  characters  to  a  line.  It  makes  the  fol- 
lowing statements: 

"  On  the  sacred  Tai  Shan,  Emperor  Ch'in  Shih  Huang  paid  visits ; 
The  royal  pathway  was  lined  on  either  hand  with  officials  in 
gorgeous  court  dress. 


400  IN  THE  HOME  OF  LITERATURE 

Between  them  moved  the  Emperor,  followed  by  a  golden  casket 

containing  his  diary. 
He  drew  near  the  five  white  pines  he  had  planted  on  a  former 

visit. 
Then  to  his  camp,  over  which  hovered  soft,  beautiful  white  clouds." 

The  prosaic  author  of  the  "Antiquities  of  Shan- 
tung "  comments  on  this  idea: 

"  I  formerly  made  enquiry  into  the  history  of 
Taoist  djinns,  and  worship  on  this  Tai  Shan.  The 
behef  in  ghosts  frequenting  it  took  its  rise  at  the 
end  of  the  Han  dynasty;  the  commentator  on  the 
Confucian  annals  makes  no  mention  of  it,  nor  does 
he  speak  of  the  Emperors'  beginning  their  reign  by 
ascending  the  mountain.  Hence  we  may  infer 
that  under  the  first  three  dynasties,  and  before 
them,  no  belief  in  djinns  was  connected  with  this 
sacred  place.  The  history  of  Ssu-ma  Ch'ien,  writ- 
ten under  the  Han  dynasty,  makes  no  allusion  to 
any  tradition  connected  with  ghosts.  A  store- 
house of  antiquarian  information  says  that  Tai 
Shan  is  called  Heaven's  Grandson;  that  is,  the 
grandson  of  heaven's  ruler,  Shang  Ti.  The  chief 
Taoist  priest  there  was  able  to  call  up  the  spirits  of 
the  departed,  to  foresee  and  reckon  the  length  of 
human  life.  These  two  facts  are  the  source  of  the 
ghostly  traditions.  In  the  books  of  the  Han 
dynasty  it  is  said  that  Hu  Chun  had  been  seriously 
ill  for  three  years ;  he  made  a  pilgrimage  here  and 
consulted  the  oracle,  by  which  he  was  told  that  the 
souls  of  the  dead  in  Manchuria  resorted  to  the 
Purple  Mountains  there,  just  as  the  souls  of  the 
Chinese  who  died  In  the  Central  Kingdom  resorted 
to  Tai  Shan." 

In  the  Annals  of  Tsinan  Is  a  section  on  "  Strange 
Phenomena,"  which  records  the  following  occurrences: 


HI  DID  NOT  OBT  TO  TUS  THBATIB  TIU.  THE  PLAT  WAS  OTDB 

"  In  the  third  year  of  Yuan  Fung,  on  the  south 
side  of  the  Lai  Wu  mountain,  a  noise  was  heard 
like  the  voice  of  thousands  of  men.  Looking  in 
that  direction,  it  was  seen  that  a  great  stone  had 
stood  upright,  15  feet  high  and  48  feet  round.  It 
buried  itself  8  feet  deep,  and  rested  on  three  other 
stones  like  a  tripod.  Many  thousands  of  white 
birds  gathered  round  it. 

"  In  the  third  year  at  Tung  King,  a  melon  on 
one  vine  produced  eight  melons. 

"  In  the  third  year  of  Kang,  the  intercalary 
moon,  two  white  dragons  appeared  at  Lih  Chang. 
In  the  fourth  year  at  the  same  period,  a  white  rab- 
bit appeared  at  Fu  Ping. 

"  At  Tsinan  the  stone  image  of  a  beast  sud- 
denly removed  in  the  night  to  the  southeast,  wolves 
and  foxes  to  the  number  of  more  than  a  thousand 
following  its  march,  their  steps  being  plainly 
visible. 

"  In  the  period  Yung  Kia,  a  star  as  large  as  the 
sun  was  seen  to  come  from  the  southwest,  accom- 
panied by  small  stars  the  size  of  a  bushel;  the 
heavens  became  of  a  red  colour,  and  sounds  were 
heard  like  thunder. 

"  In  the  tenth  year  of  Yung  Hok,  a  shooting- 
star  as  large  as  a  bushel  measure,  of  a  reddish-yel- 
low colour,  came  with  a  sound  like  thunder  out  of 
the  constellation  of  the  Weaver  Girl. 

"  In  the  second  year  of  Chung  Hing,  the  prince 
of  Chang  Shan  captured  a  strange  tortoise.  It 
had  six  eyes  in  one  head;  under  its  belly  were  the 
ideographs  for  ten  thousand  joys,  also  the  figures 
foimd  in  the  book  of  diagrams." 

These  diagrams  originally  did  come  from  the  back 
of  a  tortoise,  but  it  was  singular  to  find  them  on  the 

26 


402  IN  THE  HOME  OF  LITERATURE 

lower  shell.  It  is  needless  to  multiply  quotations  of 
this  description,  where  the  merest  trivialities  are  set 
down  alongside  accurately  dated  reports  of  comets, 
which  may  conceivably  aid  in  astronomical  study.  Let 
us  take  a  set  of  tales  which  hold  up  the  usual  male  ideal 
of  a  daughter,  a  wife,  a  widow,  and  a  daughter-in-law: 

"  Yen  Lun  at  the  age  of  six  could  sing  songs 
from  the  Book  of  Odes ;  she  never  prattled  or  talked 
nonsense.  As  she  grew  up,  she  read  of  filial  chil- 
dren and  faithful  ministers.  When  her  father 
sickened,  she  watched  by  him  incessantly,  comb- 
ing his  hair  and  washing  his  body.  A  careless  maid 
set  the  curtains  on  fire;  the  daughter  cried  out  as 
she  vainly  sought  to  quench  them.  The  family 
broke  the  door  in  and  dragged  him  out  of  the 
flames,  but  she,  seeking  to  rescue  her  mother,  was 
consumed  with  her.  She  is  known  as  the  Filial 
Daughter.'* 

"  Mrs.  Chiao,  finding  that  her  sick  mother-in- 
law  craved  for  mutton  broth,  and  being  unable  to 
go  through  the  snow  to  obtain  any,  resolutely  cut 
a  piece  out  of  her  left  arm,  roasted  it,  and  made 
broth  for  her  husband's  mother." 

"  Hsi  Chi-tsung  married  a  girl  of  seventeen 
and  deserted  her  in  two  years.  For  thirty  years 
she  supported  his  mother,  and  adopted  a  nephew 
as  their  heir.  Fifty  years  did  she  dwell  a  chaste 
and  virtuous  widow." 

"  Kuo  Ting-kuei  died,  leaving  a  widow  of  nine- 
teen, who  gave  birth  to  a  posthumous  son.  Her 
own  family  tried  to  marry  her  again,  but  she 
tatooed  her  face  and  swore  not  to.  When  Kuo's 
parents  died,  she  was  too  poor  to  buy  coffins,  so 
prepared  to  sell  the  child.     But  suddenly  she  saw 


^a  If  it's  a  ""^ 

TIOEB'S  HIAD  AND  SEBPBNT'a  TAIIi. 

a  light  in  a  ruined  house;  digging  there,  she  found 
five  ounces  of  gold,  so  tore  up  the  bill  of  sale  paid 
for  the  funerals,  and  remained  a  widow  till  her 
death  at  twenty-eight." 

"  Mrs.  Lin  was  beautiful  and  well-read.  Hear- 
ing that  rebel  troops  were  approaching  the  city, 
she  begged  her  husband  to  defend  her  virtue  rather 
than  let  her  and  her  children  become  soiled  ghosts. 
He  tried  to  reassure  her,  but  after  a  few  days  the 
city  did  fall,  whereupon  she  hanged  herself  with 
her  own  girdle." 

This  ends  our  excerpts  from  the  local  official  litera- 
ture, to  which  we  add  an  extract  from  the  writings  of  the 
learned  professor  Edward  Harper  Parker  "  The  recent 
hauls  of  thousands  upon  thousands  of  valuable  docu- 
ments made  by  M.  M.  Stein  and  Pelliot  add  more  con- 
firmation, if  confirmation  were  required  of  the  bona  fides 
and  exactitude  of  Chinese  official  history."  Asiatic 
Quarterly  Review^  January,  1911. 


XIX 
PEKING:    CAPITAL  OF  CAPITALS 

PART  I.— PEKING  FROM  PEARL  GROTTO 

On  a  summer  morning  when  the  mist  lies  low  on 
Peking,*  and  the  early  sunlight  strikes  the  yellow  tiles 
of  the  Imperial  buildings,  a  view  from  the  Western 
Hills  displays  this  most  wondrous  of  Chinese  cities 
against  a  background  of  golden  sky.  In  a  natural 
amphitheatre  of  hills,  twelve  hundred  feet  above  the 
Yellow  Sea,  nestles  a  temple  to  the  Goddess  of  Mercy. 
For  twice  an  hundred  years  the  trees  and  vines  have 
grown  round  it,  embowering  it  in  shrubbery.  Across 
the  level,  fertile  plain  the  gaze  may  roam,  across  the 
city  to  the  distant  horizon  with  a  hint  of  the  sea,  away 
to  the  north  where  the  Great  Wall  on  the  sky-line  links 
earth  and  cloud.  Villages  dot  the  landscape;  spots  of 
green  betoken  where  some  Son  of  Han  has  found  his 
last  lucky  resting-place.  At  our  feet  are  seen  seven 
other  temples,  shrouded  by  funereal  pines. 

In  Pearl  Grotto  dwelt  a  hermit  long  ago,  and  now 
above  his  retreat  has  arisen  this  temple,  itself  growing 
hoary.  Within  its  walls  wayfarers  may  rest,  and  here 
have  we  slept  till  by  the  fourth  watch  the  song  of  birds 
invites  us  forth.  We  join  the  "  Cap  of  the  West,"  now 
venerable  in  his  ninth  decade,  and  stroll  out  among 
the  oaks  that  bedeck  the  dells.  Here  once  strolled  the 
Emperor   Ch'ien  Lung,   composing   a   sonnet,   which 

*For  twenty  odd  years  the  viceroy  of  Chihli  has  resided,  for  the 
most  part,  in  Tientsin.  But  Paoting  is  still  regarded  by  the  Court,  as 
the  seat  of  certain  other  provincial  oflSces.  As  Chihli  means  "Direct 
Rule,"  the  author  has  restricted  himself,  in  dealing  with  the  metropolitan 
province,  to  the  Imperial  Capital. 

404 


Q 


WIS 


Jj 


y'^ 


^fX'^' "  ^X^^^^db===^== 


ea 


Pkking,  Impkrial,  Capital  of  China. 


405 


TOU   WILL  XaVBR  FIND  A  FLESH  POT  FLOATINO  ON  THK  BIA. 


King  Shi.  the  official  name  of  the  Imperial  Capital  (Peking),  is  translated  "The  Great 
City  of  the  People,"  The  Imperial  Capital  is  often  referred  to  by  the  following  seven 
names.  "King"  (in  Pekinese  "Ching"),  means,  originally,  a  height  or  eminence.  "King 
Shih,"  a  spacious  plateau  such  as  would  be  suitable  for  a  capital  city.  "  Ch'ao  T'ing,"  "  the 
Imperial  Court,"  so<:alled  because  audiences  are  given  in  the  early  morning,  the  first  mean- 
ing of  Ch'ao  being  "dawn."  "Pei  Ch'ueh,  the  Northern  Gate,  or  '"Feng  Ch'ueh,"  the 
Phoenix  Gate  (Peking).  "Shou  Shan,"  "The  Head  Best  Place,"  reminding  one  of  the 
boastful  title  of  Babylon,  the  glory  of  kingdoms  and  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees  excel- 
lency ...  "  Yu  Yen,"  "  Dark  Swallow,"  is  a  name  for  Peking.  The  Emperor  is  called 
the  Son  of  Heaven,  and  his  decrees  are  "the  Decrees  of  Heaven,"  and  the  surrounding  dis- 
trict is  called  "Obedient  to  Heaven."  So  Peking,  the  residence  of  the  Son  of  Heaven,  is 
spoken  of  as  "  The  Gate  of  Heaven."  The  poetic  name  of  Peking  is,  "  The  Capital  of  Yen," 
"Yen,"  "Swallow,"  being  the  name  of  the  ancient  feudal  state  which  correspoads  roughly 
with  the  modern  province  of  Chihli. 


406  PEKING  FROM  PEARL  GROTTO 

reverential  hands  carved  into  the  rock.    Our  companion 
renders  it  into  English  verse: 

"Why  have  I  scaled  this  misty  height? 
Why  sought  this  mountain  den? 
I  tread  as  on  enchanted  ground, 
Unlike  the  home  of  men. 

"  Weird  voices  in  the  trees  I  hear, 
Weird  visions  see  in  air; 
The  whispering  pines  are  living  harps. 
And  fairy  hands  are  there. 

"  Beneath  my  feet  my  realm  I  see. 
As  in  a  map  unrolled. 
Above  my  head  a  canopy 

Bedecked  with  clouds  of  gold." 

Just  beyond  this  rock  is  a  p'aifang,  and  on  the 
honorary  portal  is  the  simple  title,  "  Land  of  Joy." 
Beside  our  temple  some  scholar  has  written  on  the  gate- 
way: 

"  I  have  climbed  to  this  paradise,  this  happy  land; 
May  the  new  spring  bring  new  joy." 

What  more  beautful  prospect  could  be  sought? 
Atmosphere  around  and  meadow  in  front  are  severed 
by  serrated  hills  diversified  with  temples.  Out  of  the 
lake  of  mist  rise  the  dulled  pinnacles  of  the  mighty  city 
within  its  sharply  defined  walls.  Yonder  is  the  bridge 
commemorating  the  visit  of  that  Marco  Polo  whose 
casual  book  throws  such  a  Western  light  on  the  ancient 
realm.  Yonder  again  is  the  lake  of  the  Summer  Palace, 
reflecting  the  beams  of  the  rising  globe,  which  soon  will 
summon  to  daily  wit.  But  as  yet  only  a  stray  chicken 
crows,  or  a  rare  dog  barks.  The  temple  gongs  are  mute, 
nor  will  they  clang  out  as  the  day  advances.    The  wor- 


u&a  HOMous  Tua  rich,  duos  bits  Tua  KAaoxo 


407 


Peking  means  "Northern  Capital,"  and  is  of  course  never  used  officially  lest 
it  signify  tbat  somewhere  else  is  another  capital. 


408  PEKING  IN  THE  ANNALS 

shippers  are  few;  the  priests  are  seeking  other  ways  to 
live;  the  bells  are  as  still  as  the  mud  deities  they  honour. 
The  hand  of  God  is  on  the  bells,  ringing  out  the  old  and 
ringing  in  the  new.  The  city  lies  bare,  to  bathe  in  the 
glory  of  the  day — the  new  day  that  dawns  for  Peking. 

What  is  the  day?  For  China  it  is  Star-day.  Every 
seventh  day  has  long  been  a  Star-day.  Now,  by  the 
will  of  the  Throne,  these  Star-days  are  days  of  rest, 
when  no  office  is  open  for  government  business,  no  school 
is  open  for  children.  It  is  a  day  of  rest,  a  Sabbath. 
For  Christendom  it  is  the  Lord's  Day.  The  first  step 
has  been  taken  by  this  strange  Empire,  and  the  worship 
day  of  the  alien  has  been  adopted  in  this  land  of  cease- 
less toil  as  a  day  of  respite.  Can  we  show  them  how  to 
use  their  leisure,  how  to  turn  it  to  the  noblest  account, 
how  to  honour  the  Lord  of  Heaven  and  Earth  with  the 
first  fruits  of  their  time? 

What  is  the  place?  It  was  a  temple,  one  of  the 
"  Eight  Great  Places  "  where  for  centuries  the  monks 
chanted  their  unknown  prayers  many  times  a  day. 
Their  song  has  been  silenced ;  in  all  these  weeks  we  have 
heard  no  solitary  voice  uplifted  to  praise  the  Buddha, 
that  sage  whose  gospel  was  lofty  but  limited.  China 
has  outgrown  him ;  the  abbot  of  the  monastery  has  dis- 
persed his  band,  and  lets  the  temples  as  inns,  where  now 
the  Christian  may  stay,  and  lift  up  his  voice  in  daily 
prayer  to  Him  who  is  the  light,  not  of  Asia  alone,  but 
of  the  world. 

PART  II.— PEKING  IN  THE  ANNALS 

This  part  of  the  country  was  called  Yu  Chow, 
"  LAND  OF  DARKNESS,"  in  the  most  ancient  times, 
the  feudal  age  of  the  Chous.^    The  "  Book  of  Antiqui- 

"Yu  Chow  was  one  of  the  nine  divisions  of  the  Empire  under  the 
Great  Y(i,  some  two  thousand  years  before  Christ.  This  w«is  prior  to  the 
feudal  period,  properly  so  called. 


mmf-^i^  *** 


A  MONKEY  SITTING  AT  A  FEAST 


ties,"  dealing  with  its  products,  summed  them  up  as  fish 
and  salt;  horses,  cows,  sheep,  and  pigs;  rice  and  millet; 
pears  and  dates.  It  had  wild  beasts — bears,  cats 
leopards,  and  tigers ;  sable-skins  were  brought  as  tribute. 
The  state  of  human  society  may  be  gauged  by  the  state- 
ment that  there  were  three  women  to  one  man,  implying 
much  local  strife. 

From  that  dim  period  emerged  a  feudal  state.  Yen 
Kuo,  "  SWALLOW  LAND."  It  grew  in  importance, 
the  ruler  for  nine  generations  being  a  hou^  or  marquis, 
then  for  eight  generations  a  kung,  or  duke,  then  for  ten 
generations  a  Wang,  or  prince.  The  prince,  according 
to  the  Annals,  had  been  but  indifferent  to  the  claims  of 
religion.  A  northern  man  presented  a  pig,  aged  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years  and  weighing  over  one  thou- 
sand pounds,  to  prince  Chao.  So  huge  was  it  that 
it  could  hardly  stand.  Its  flesh  was  useless,  and  an 
admirer  suggested  it  be  oiFered  to  the  gods.  The  cooks 
were  called  to  bake  it  and  prepare  it  for  sacrifice.  That 
night  the  god  appeared  to  him  in  a  dream  and  rebuked 
him  for  the  worthless  gift.  Who  can  wonder  that  such 
a  race  succumbed? 

Ch'in  Shih  Huang  Ti  dethroned  them,  and  estab- 
lished here  one  of  his  36  provinces.  This  arrange- 
ment continued,  though  under  the  second  Han  Emperor 
an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  revive  an  inde- 
pendent principality.  The  title  NORTHERN  PLAIN 
came  into  vogue,  and  a  city  with  the  same  title  seems  to 
have  arisen  in  this  neighborhood.  But  no  information 
appears  to  be  forthcoming  except  in  the  shape  of  one 
highly  creditable  legend : 

"  In  the  period  Yiian  Feng,  there  was  seen 
here  a  yellow  weasel  which  held  its  tail  in  its  mouth 


410  PEKING  IN  THE  ANNALS 

and  danced  a  jig  at  the  chief  door  of  the  palace. 
The  prince  himself  went  to  look  at  it.  As  the 
weasel  continued  to  dance,  the  prince  bade  an  offi- 
cer make  a  sacrificial  offering  of  wine  and  food. 
For  a  day  and  a  night  it  danced,  then  fell  dead 
with  its  tail  in  its  mouth.  This  was  afterwards 
interpreted  as  an  omen  of  the  rebellion  of  Wang 
Tan,  and  the  assassination  of  a  prince." 

We  at  least  distil  this  news,  that  in  110  B.C.  the 
district  had  regained  its  independence  and  was  again 
under  a  prince.  Then  we  hear  of  Shih-hu  in  335  a.d. 
prospering  here,  but  moving  his  capital  to  Loyang. 
But  the  curtain  falls  till  we  hear  that  the  Liao  {i.e.,  the 
Khitans)  rebuilt  the  city  about  937.  This  marks  the 
end  of  another  Empire,  this  whole  Northern  Plain 
having  fallen  to  the  Tartars,  and  here  they  remained 
for  some  two  centuries.  Be  it  noted  that  the  silence 
henceforward  is  because  this  district  was  outside  the 
land  of  the  Sons  of  Han  and  their  literature. 

The  plain  Tartars  were  replaced  by  the  Kin  Tartars 
in  1118,  these  Kin  being  kin  to  the  Manchus.  And  in 
1151  the  Kins  repaired  the  city  here,  making  it  perhaps 
their  capital.  Eighty  years  later  they  were  driven 
away  by  Genghis  Khan;  and  Kublai  Khan  about  1264 
made  it  his  magnificent  capital,  when  it  was  called  in 
Mongol  speech  Khan-baligh.  "CITY  OF  THE 
GREAT  KHAN,"  a  name  softened  to  Western  ears 
as  Kambalu.  Soon  afterward  he  overran  all  China. 
Now  for  the  first  time  all  China  was  governed  from 
this  centre. 

When  the  Chinese  shook  off  the  Mongol  yoke  under 
the  leadership  of  the  Ming,  Hung  Wu,  we  have  at 
once  a  plethora  of  story  about  this  place.  The  omen 
that  foretold  the  change  is  thus  related : 


:^  Ji  ffl  #,  *ri=:  5B « JS        *" 


SACRIFIOK  ▲   SHESP  TO   KILL   A    WOLF 


The  court  physician  had  a  great  reputation  for 
skill.  At  the  age  of  seventy  he  was  visited  by  an  old 
woman,  who  besought  him  to  come  to  the  Western 
Hills  and  cure  her  daughters.  He  bade  her  bring 
them,  and  in  a  few  hours  she  returned  with  two  most 
beautiful  children.  Feeling  their  pulse,  he  exclaimed, 
"These  are  not  human  beings!  Tell  me  truly  who 
you  are!  "  She  owned  that  she  was  the  Old  Fox  of  the 
Western  Hills,  and  besought  him  not  to  betray  her  but 
to  heal  her  daughters.  He  said  that  was  his  business 
and  his  intention.  But  he  wondered  that  since  he  dwelt 
within  the  Forbidden  City,  where  the  Emperor  was 
guarded  by  one  hundred  gods,  a  wicked  spirit  could 
gain  access.  She  replied  that  the  pure  Son  of  Heaven 
was  not  there;  he  dwelt  in  Hou  Chow,  whither  the  City 
God  had  set  all  the  gods  to  protect  him.  The 
physician  was  astounded,  but  made  up  the  prescription, 
and  the  daughters  bowed  their  thanks. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Hung  Wu,  the 
place  received  the  [Chinese]  name  of  Pei  P'ing  Fu, 
'PREFECTURE  OF  THE  NORTHERN 
PLAINS.'  In  the  fourth  year  after  Field-marshal 
Hsii  Ta  had  captured  the  city  and  reduced  the  sur- 
rounding country,  he  established  the  headquarters 
of  his  military  government  here.  From  the  deserts 
and  waste  country  he  collected  the  surviving  fugitives 
and  removed  them  to  the  surrounding  districts,  where 
they  received  lands  and  became  permanent  inhabi- 
tants. In  the  ninth  year  of  Hung  Wu,  Pei  P'ing 
became  the  seat  of  a  viceroy.  In  the  twelfth  year 
the  new  buildings  for  the  chief  city  of  the  province 
being  completed,  the  prefect  sent  up  [to  Nanking] 
maps  and  a  description  showing  the  position  of  two 


412  PEKING  IN  THE  ANNALS 

altars  [to  Heaven  and  Earth]  and  giving  a  total  of 
great  and  small  palaces  to  the  extent  of  811  rooms. 
This  indicates  that  the  founder  of  the  dynasty  intended 
to  resuscitate  the  capital  on  a  scale  of  regal  splendor. 
Then  he  appointed  his  son  Yung  Lo^  to  reside  here, 
with  the  title,  Prince  of  Yen. 

"  At  the  death  of  Hung  Wu  disturbances  broke  out, 
as  a  young  grandson  seemed  unfit  to  hold  the  Empire. 
This  Prince  of  Yen  struck  for  the  lofty  seat  of  Emperor, 
captured  Nanking,  found  a  body  which  he  interred  with 
pomp  as  his  nephew's,  and  returned  to  Pei  P'ing,  which 
he  decided  should  be  the  Imperial  capital.  It  was  at 
this  period  that  the  district  around  received  the  name 
Shun  T'ien,  while  this  city  remained  Pei  Ching, 
"  NORTHERN  CAPITAL. " 

"  In  the  fourth  year  of  Yung  Lo,  the  great  oflScers 
memorialised  the  Emperor  to  erect  palaces  in  Peking 
on  a  magnificent  scale.  In  the  fourteenth  year  a  Grand 
Council  was  convened  to  deliberate  on  the  reconstruc- 
tion. .  .  .  Temples  and  altars  were  erected  in  the  city 
and  suburbs,  and  palaces  in  the  Inner  City,  the  whole 
being  modeled  more  or  less  after  Nanking,  but  in  height 
and  breadth  exceeding  the  originals.  At  that  time 
fifteen  secondary  palaces  were  erected  for  princely 
families ;  the  work  was  completed  in  three  years." 

"  In  the  fourth  year  of  Yung  Lo,  the  great  officers 
palaces.  And  of  these  it  is  quite  correct  that  they  excel 
any  at  Nanking;  indeed,  they  are  the  only  splendid 
edifices  in  the  whole  country.  The  exact  relation  of 
the  new  city  of  Yung  Lo  to  the  previous  capital  of  the 
Mongols  is  uncertain.  The  "  Book  of  Antiquities " 
suggests  that  the  walls  now  standing  are  those  con- 
structed by  the  masterful  Mongol,  Kublai  Khan.  This 
is  certain :  the  walls  remain  to-day  practically  as  they 

*Chu  Ti.  "Yung  Lo"  was  his  year  title,  which  of  course  was  not 
assumed  until  after  he  had  become  Emperor. 


BODY  LIKE  IBOK   NEEDS  FOOD  LIKE  STEIZi 

stood  in  Yung  Lo's  time,  whether  he  built  them  or  not, 
and  they  deserve  comparison  with  those  of  Nanking. 
The  Southern  Capital  has  a  total  circumference  of 
twenty-five  miles,  while  Yung  Lo's  city  is  only  fourteen 
miles,  but  the  walls  are  sixty  feet  thick  at  the  base;  it 
is  most  substantially  built  of  stone,  brick,  and  concrete. 
Nine  splendid  gates  pierce  it,  with  barbicans  without 
and  tower-forts  above.  No  such  fortification  is  extant 
elsewhere.  Concerning  these  gates,  however,  we  are 
expressly  told,  "  In  the  first  year  of  Cheng  T'ung 
[1436]  orders  were  given  to  the  eunuch  Yuan  from 
Tongking  to  take  the  chief  oversight  of  the  construction 
of  gate-towers.  Hitherto  the  city  had  followed  the 
old  style  of  the  Yiian  [Mongol]  dynasty;  at  the  renewal 
under  Yung  Lo  no  gate-towers  had  been  constructed." 
Under  the  J^Lings,  also,  the  province  here  around  passed 
under  "  Direct  Rule,"  hence  the  name  Chihli. 

Another  century  passed,  and  houses  clustered 
irregularly  outside  the  south  wall,  so  in  1543  a  new  wall 
was  erected  to  shelter  them  by  Chia  Ching.  The  suburb 
^is  only  half  as  large  as  the  city  proper,  but  includes  the 
famous  Temple  of  Heaven.  One  more  century  and  the 
Chinese  dynasty  came  to  an  end.  Risings  occurred, 
and  from  Taijoian  an  insurgent  army  marched  on 
the  capital.  The  unhappy  Emperor  ascended  the 
Prospect  Hill,  an  artificial  mound  within  his  own 
Imperial  city,  watched  the  approach  through  a  tele- 
scope, stabbed  his  daughter,  and  hung  himself.  The 
gates  were  opened  to  the  insurgent,  and  the  maiden 
city  of  Yung  Lo  was  taken.  The  captor  proclaimed 
himself  Emperor.  But  he  had  slain  the  family  of  the 
general  at  Shanhaikwan.  Though  the  general  was 
unable  to  take  revenge  in  person,  he  opened  the  gates 
of  the  Great  Wall  to  the  Manchus,  who,  having  been 


414  PEKING  IN  THE  ANNALS 

invited  in,  poured  down,  and  in  ten  days  cleared  Peking. 
This  fortnight  of  catastrophe  had  been  foretold  by  the 
usual  omens :  "  In  the  reign  of  Ch'ung  Cheng,  last  of 
the  Mings,  there  was  a  terrible  epidemic  in  Peking.  A 
large  family  died  in  one  night.  A  man  called  on  a 
coffin-seller,  and  bargained  for  delivery.  Then  he  dis- 
appeared, whereby  the  undertaken  knew  it  must  be  a 
ghost  of  one  of  the  dead  family.  In  the  morning  the 
money  that  was  paid  proved  to  be  paper  or  ghost 
money." 

Since  1644  the  city  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
Manchus  except  when  occupied  by  foreign  troops,  for 
they  never  went  back  through  the  Great  Wall.  They 
appropriated  the  whole  of  the  original  city  of  Yung  Lo, 
letting  the  Chinese  dwell  only  in  the  South  Suburb 
within  the  new  wall.  But  by  degrees  the  Chinese  have 
won  a  footing  within  the  main  city  again,  where  in  the 
past  they  dwelt  on  the  same  precarious  terms  whereby 
the  Russian  Jews  venture  outside  their  Pale. 

Fifty  years  ago  a  Franco-British  army  marched 
up  to  Peking;  the  great  East-north  Gate  was  solemnly 
opened,  and  the  leaders,  with  a  body-guard,  took 
possession  of  two  handsome  mansions  as  the  permanent 
residences  of  ambassadors.  Soon  other  nations  sta- 
tioned ministers  here,  and  the  Manchu  city  witnessed 
foreigners  dwelling  on  terms  of  equality.  The  Em- 
peror would  not  survive  the  disgrace  of  his  reign, 
for  this  was  the  very  time  when  the  Chinese  T'ai-p'ings 
were  in  possession  of  the  Southern  Capital. 

Forty  years  passed,  and  the  ambassadors  were 
besieged  in  their  legations,  defended  by  a  scanty  band  of 
foreign  guards.  Again  a  Western  army  forced  its  way 
up  and  in;  again  the  Manchu  Court  fled,  and  the  foreign 
troops  devastated  the  Forbidden  City.  Never  again 
is  it  likely  to  behold  such  a  humiliation. 


5i  jH:  I  M  H  ill>  ^  IB      4i« 

BVEN  THE  KITCHEN  ROD  HAS  A  BLACK  TAOE 
(OOOK  18  NOT  CLEAN  ) 

PART  III.— PEKING  FROM  THE  WALL 

We  spent  one  midsummer  day  riding  round  on  the 
wall,  Erving  Leroy  Johnson  being  my  brilliant  guide, 
donkeys  being  our  bearers.  Eight  hours  did  the  trip 
take  to  cover  the  fourteen  miles  around  the  Manchu  or 
Tartar  city.  But  out  of  the  very  centre  is  to  be  sub- 
tracted the  Imperial  city,  within  its  own  fortifications, 
covered  with  bright  tiles  of  the  Imperial  yellow,  so 
that  the  available  area  is  not  much  over  ten  square 
miles.  This  is  gridironed  by  regular,  broad  streets, 
newly  lined  with  electric  standards,  metalled  down  the 
centre,  sprinkled,  and  policed ;  no  other  city  in  China  is 
so  homelike  to  an  American  in  this  respect.  But  walls ! 
and  within  the  walls  a  forest!  Where  can  this  be 
matched? 

Could  one  live  on  the  walls,  to  enjoy  the  breeze,  to 
picnic  in  the  shade  of  a  fort,  to  survey  the  scenery  of 
the  great  North  Plain,  Peking  might  be  attractive. 
Curious  sights  met  us,  old  and  new  jostling  one  another. 

Here  is  the  old  Examination  Hall  being  demolished. 
The  classical  education  is  gone,  never  to  return.  The 
"  modern  side  "  has  displaced  it,  and  on  this  site  will  arise 
the  Imperial  Parliament  intended  to  crown  the  eighteen 
Provincial  Parliaments. 

Here  are  the  ruins  of  the  Hanlin,  the  great  Classi- 
cal Academy  and  British  Museum  Library.  In  the 
desperate  struggles  of  1900  it  proved  a  good  place 
whence  to  attack  the  foreigners,  and,  as  the  fury  of 
the  siege  progressed,  it  was  set  on  fire  to  burn  them  out. 
Naught  remains  of  this  old  glory,  the  outward  symbol 
of  the  dying  age  giving  a  last  convulsive  struggle. 

Here  too  is  the  old  Route  du  Roi,  the  great  main 
street  reserved  for  the  Emperor  as  he  went  yearly 


416  PEKING  FROM  THE  WALL 

southward  to  offer  the  yearly  sacrifice  and  worship  in 
the  Temple  of  Heaven.  Too  holy  was  it  to  be  trodden 
by  common  foot,  and  to  the  central  gate  only  a  narrow 
way  is  available  for  the  traveller  who  needs  it  all  the 
year.  When  will  the  people  put  a  quietus  on  such  non- 
sense? Is  that  one  man  made  of  better  clay,  that  the 
whole  city  must  be  inconvenienced  for  a  year  to  serve 
him  but  a  day? 

Contrast  the  forts,  foreign  forts,  on  the  wall,  the 
hostages  given  to  the  foreigners  who  not  only  claim 
to  dwell  in  the  Manchu  city,  but  oblige  part  of  the  wall 
to  be  prohibited  to  Chinese  lest  the  foreign  settlement 
be  overlooked  I  Imagine  a  section  of  Washington  taken 
possession  of  by  Moroccans  and  Tripolitans,  with  Turks 
and  Arabs  and  Persians  settling  alongside.  Oriental 
soldiers  garrisoning  it,  free-born  Americans  bidden 
keep  away  lest  the  Eastern  susceptibilities  be  hurt! 
Would  America  tolerate  that  long,  after  her  new  army 
was  in  working  order? 

Look  down  yonder.  At  the  foot  of  the  wall  is  a 
squad  of  cadets  from  the  naval  academy,  practising 
bugle-calls.  Who  are  these  yellow  faces  in  Western 
dress?  Soldiers  with  modern  weapons.  And  who  these 
others  in  novel  uniform?    Police  of  a  new  type. 

Near-by  rumbles  a  railway  right  into  the  Chinese 
city  and  alongside  the  Front  Gate.  Five  lines  converge 
here  now,  and  others  will;  then  easily  the  forces  of  the 
Empire  can  be  mobilised.  There  rises  a  mast,  from 
which  the  radio-telegrams  flash  away  to  the  coast. 

The  new  age  has  dawned.  Smoke-stacks  in  the  city, 
in  the  Tartar  city!  Electric  lights !  But  where  are  the 
temples!  There  are  now  as  many  churches  in  Peking 
as  important  temples!  Peking  is  already  a  city  of 
churches!    The  temples  are  going,  going,  gone!    Here 


Son  op  Peace  Street,  Peking. 
Pagoda,  Tope,  Pavilion. 


Outer  Gate  Tower,  Pino  Tzii  Men,  Peking. 


A  /h  'li^  7^  4^  *" 

▲  LITTLE   MAN    MAY   HATE   A   LARGK  HEART 

is  a  school;  here  the  Education  Office  rises;  here  is  the 
novel  College  of  Interpreters,  and  there  the  College 
of  Finance! 

At  this  northwest  angle,  where  the  wall  was  deflected 
for  good  luck,  on  the  queer  theory  that  a  thing  that  is 
already  perfect  cannot  improve,  behold  now  prepara- 
tions for  the  building  of  the  new  Imperial  Post-gradu- 
ate University,  the  supreme  one  over  four  or  five  others 
to  be  erected  throughout  the  realm.  Yonder  the  Metho- 
dists are  raising  their  university.  See  to  it,  my  friends, 
that  you  provoke  not  an  unequal  contest.  Strengthen 
your  stakes  as  you  lengthen  your  cords.  Then  in  God's 
name  do  your  share  for  this  new  Peking. 

PART  IV.— PEKING  AT  NIGHT 

At  the  "  Fourth  Change  "  in  the  night,  when  the 
sentries  who  guard  the  Dragon  Throne  are  relieved,  the 
Imperial  audiences  have  been  given,  time  out  of  mind. 
Throughout  the  night  the  Son  of  Heaven  and  his  coun- 
sellors toil  at  their  task  of  governing  one-fourth  of  the 
human  race.  Rulers  of  alien  blood  themselves,  they 
must  be  alert  against  rumours,  murmurs,  conspiracies, 
rebellions,  revelations.  The  nation  sleeps,  the  rulers 
wake. 

At  night  when  the  sable  pall  falls  over  the  city, 
the  sentries  watch  with  redoubled  zeal,  while  the  poli- 
ticians of  the  state  gather  to  solve  the  problems  that 
affect  the  destiny  of  myriads.  At  night,  when  astrono- 
mers sweep  the  heavens  to  discern  some  new  world 
floating  into  ken,  or  patiently  catalogue  the  old  ones  too 
little  known,  the  Son  of  Heaven  studies  the  new  lands 
that  have  forced  themselves  on  the  attention  of  the  Sons 
of  Han,  or  ponders  some  old  question  too  lightly 
answered.    Sheltered  from  the  cold  and  evil  north  wind 

27 


418  PEKING  AT  NIGHT 

by  the  hill  thrown  up  for  that  end,  protected  by  the 
loyalty  of  governors  and  viceroys,  from  the  Dragon 
Throne  go  forth  changes  that  startle  in  their  drastic 
suddenness.  At  night  the  edict  passes  that  opium  may 
no  longer  be  smoked.  At  night  the  Vermilion  Pencil 
signs  the  decree  that  bids  the  people  prepare  for  con- 
stitutional government.  At  night  issues  the  death-war- 
rant of  the  old  classical  examinations,  the  charter  of  the 
new  learning.  At  night  the  gates  open  and  the  couriers 
carry  forth  the  order  for  women  and  girls  to  partici- 
pate in  the  new  schools. 

The  sentries  pace  the  yellow  wall.  On  their  outer 
hand  is  stillness,  such  as  Eastern  cities  know,  nor  is  this 
so  dense  that  any  ceaseless  hum  rises  from  its  myriad 
trees.  The  hundreds  of  thousands  have  sunk  to  rest. 
Away  on  the  outer  wall  their  brethren  patrol  the  mighty 
rampart,  gazing  down  into  the  deserted  streets  or  across 
the  moat  down  into  the  dark  and  empty  country.  From 
sentry-box  to  sentry-box  in  the  city  street  march  the 
soldier-police  with  loaded  rifles  on  their  shoulders.  But 
few  do  they  meet  in  the  hours  of  night. 

Far  different  the  scene  on  their  inner  hand;  the 
offices  ablaze  with  light,  no  palaces  bright  for  revelry, 
but  audience-chambers  filling  with  guests,  ministers  of 
state  meeting  their  colleagues,  the  Throne  receiving 
petitions  and  memorialists.  Such  has  been  the  custom 
for  ages,  and,  many  as  may  be  the  changes  now,  such 
the  strange  scenes  that  are  still  often  enacted.  Now  the 
courier  is  not  needed,  but  as  the  busy  conclave  separates, 
the  decisions  of  the  Emperor  flash  away  to  the  eighteen 
capitals;  and  as  the  governors  and  viceroys  gird  them- 
selves for  the  new  day,  they  learn  what  fresh  revolu- 
tion has  been  decided  upon  at  the  Capital  of  Capitals. 

China  to-day  is  like  these  sentries.  It  stands  between 
a  past  that  has  sunk  into  darkness,  and  an  inner,  more 


FOB  WORNODT   flKLD   CHANGE  THB  CROP 
(old   SCHOLABS   KKBD   MKW   THOnOHTS  ) 

precious,  that  is  quickened  into  new  life  and  activity. 
This  it  is  which  governs  and  directs.  May  China 
waken  to  the  new  day  with  new  purpose  and  new 
vigour! 

PART  v.— PEKING  FROM  THE  ALTAR  OF  HEAVEN 

Down  the  Imperial  Avenue  we  go,  along  the  Sacra 
Via  of  Peking,  through  the  central  southern  gate, 
between  the  railway  stations,  across  the  moat,  and  down 
into  the  Chinese  city,  between  the  handsome  clubs 
erected  to  entertain  strangers  from  the  provinces.  Our 
goal  is  the  world-famous  Altar  of  Heaven. 

China  is  not  a  land  of  architecture;  even  its  cities 
have  little  to  show  that  would  cause  a  visitor  to  return. 
Here  in  the  north,  where  rain  mostly  falls  once  a  year 
and  no  trees  grow,  no  timber  is  obtainable,  so  brick  and 
stone  are  chiefly  employed.  But  if  many  of  the  cities 
are  cheap,  Peking  is  the  one  exception,  and  yet  Peking 
has  no  really  costly  buildings,  and  in  Peking  this  Altar 
of  Heaven  is  the  most  striking  of  erections.  It  is  a 
circular  pyramid,  nor  is  it  to  cover  the  dead,  but  for 
the  living  to  worship  the  unknown.  It  is  of  marble, 
like  the  Taj  Mahal  at  Agra,  but  the  platform  there  is 
crowned  with  buildings  which  are  the  chief  glory,  while 
here  the  platforms  themselves  are  the  feature.  It  is 
an  altar,  an  altar  in  three  tiers  rising  one  above  another. 
The  Altar  of  Heaven  abides  in  its  regal  splendour. 
From  its  imperial  summit  survey  the  world.  How  does 
the  world  appear  from  the  Altar  of  Heaven? 

This  is  the  Far  East,  and  here  is  the  Far  Past.  The 
most  important  object  to  visit  and  understand  among 
all  the  architectural  or  other  material  features  of 
Peking  is  this  Imperial  place  of  prayer.  I  have 
ascended  its  stone  steps,  from  circle  to  circle  ever  rising 


420     PEKING  FROM  THE  ALTAR  OF  HEAVEN 

toward  the  arching  dome  of  heaven.  If  first  we  look 
into  the  past,  the  whole  history  of  the  three  dynasties 
which  have  reigned  here,  Ming,  Mongol,  Manchu,  de- 
ploys before  us.  As  for  the  present,  here  is  the  Empire 
in  miniature.  Within  these  four  walls  Peking  is  in 
epitome,  the  whole  within  the  Four  Seas.  Standing  on 
the  Altar  of  Heaven,  I  look  again,  and  into  the  future. 
Toward  the  east  is  the  Sunrise  Kingdom,  soon  to 
become  the  Sunset,  unless  improvement  in-  morals 
obtains.  Off  toward  the  west  is  Tibet,  land  of  high- 
landers  yet  to  make  a  mark  in  history.  To  the  north 
is  Russia,  a  great  country  with  the  elements  of  disinte- 
gration developing.  Southward  I  can  see  a  new 
empire,  vast  and  mighty.  It  is  an  empire  within  an 
empire,  a  black  empire  within  a  white  empire,  known 
by  a  new  name,  Britain-India.  Then  will  come  the 
mightiest  peace-project  of  human  history  when  Britain 
America,  and  China  form  a  coalition  to  prevent 
strife  among  the  nations.  By  then  under  these  three 
flags  will  dwell  a  thousand  million  of  the  sons  of  men! 
China,  here  at  Peking,  will  accomplish  for  the  whole 
world  what  Ch'in  the  Great  proposed  to  do  for  his 
Empire  when  he  built  the  Great  Wall — prevent  strife ! 
To  the  north  lies  the  great  city,  Capital  of  Capitals, 
a  capital  made  to  order,  as  were  Petersburg  and  Wash- 
ington; and  beyond  it  is  that  Manchuria  whence  this 
dynasty  brought  its  strange  worship.  Westward  we 
face,  and  remember  that  in  mosque  after  mosque  below 
the  muezzin  has  bidden  the  faithful  face  thus  to  Mecca 
and  worship  Allah.  Southward  across  the  Himalayas 
the  mind's  eye  can  discern  the  home  of  Buddha,  whom 
so  many  have  served  here  and  now  are  deserting.  East- 
ward we  gaze,  and  the  heart  leaps  out  to  greet  the  home- 
land, whence  come  the  messengers  of  the  Cross.  Up- 
wards the  eye  lifts  to  Heaven  in  thankfulness. 


View  of  the  new  Peking  Water  Worics  from  the  East  Wall. 


A  PBUDBNT  WIFK  SAVES  MCCH  TBOUBLB 

Once  in  the  year  comes  the  Emperor  to  worship  at 
the  Altar  of  Heaven;  it  is  the  winter  solstice,  the  Christ- 
mas season.  As  the  Star-day  has  been  chosen  already 
for  the  nation's  rest,  will  the  worship  of  Heaven  take 
its  place  in  the  calendar,  Heaven  as  revealed  in  the 
Son  of  God  from  Heaven? 

PART  VI.— PEKING  UNDER  A  RAINBOW 

Once  more  in  the  Pearl  Grotto  we  gaze  at  the  city 
as  a  whole.  The  thunder  has  ceased,  the  lightning  no 
longer  plays,  the  mist  is  settling;  but  the  westering  sun 
shines  out,  and  a  rainbow  spans  the  capital.  There  is 
hope  for  Peking! 

A  city  whose  symmetry  was  deliberately  spoiled  to 
secure  good  luck,  whose  site  was  chosen,  not  for  com- 
merce nor  for  defence  alone — for  it  is  on  no  important 
river,  and  lies  on  a  flat  plain — but  again  out  of  super- 
stition, a  city  planted  with  care,  but  with  useless  care, 
a  city  planned  on  the  bias:  is  it  not  an  emblem  of  its 
builders?  Superstition  and  bias  are  the  bane  of  China's 
past. 

Here  have  forty  Emperors  ruled,  Mongol,  Ming, 
and  Manchu.  The  Manchus  alone  have  sat  on  the 
Dragon  Throne  almost  as  long  as  the  English  have 
settled  in  America;  the  three  dynasties  have  seen  the 
whole  course  of  English  Parliaments  and  English  liter- 
ature. Twenty  generations  have  passed  since  this 
became  a  capital,  and  no  other  capital  on  earth  sways 
the  destinies  of  so  many  people.  From  Peking  more 
than  two  billions  of  humankind  have  had  their  rule. 

For  the  last  two  generations  storm  after  storm  has 
arisen  and  beaten  upon  this  city.  Twice  has  it  seemed 
as  if  the  Empire  might  be  cut  to  pieces;  twice  has  it 
rallied,  yielding  only  fragments  of  its  soil  to  the  pale- 


422  PEKING  UNDER  A  RAINBOW 

pink  man.  Yet  here  in  Peking  stands  one  sign  of  the 
last  storm — an  arch  of  apology  for  the  murder  of  an 
ambassador.  Imagine  the  Pont  de  Jena  in  Berlin, 
not  in  Paris;  imagine  Waterloo  Bridge  over  the  Seine, 
not  the  Thames ;  imagine  Grant's  Tomb  in  Riclimond, 
not  in  New  York;  imagine  a  monmnent  to  Benedict 
Arnold  in  the  Capitol  at  Washington.  Surely  the  time 
is  not  far  distant  when  China  will  offer  to  transport  this 
portal  to  Germany  and  erect  it  anew  where  it  will  be 
appreciated  as  an  apology  for  one  act  that  was  both  a 
crime  and  a  blunder,  but  will  decline  any  longer  to 
house  a  memorial  of  her  humiliation.  The  rise  of  new 
China  will  be  marked  by  the  fall  of  the  Von  Ketteler 
monument!    That  crash  may  be  heard  any  day. 

For  Peking  changes  and  grows.  The  railways  that 
converge  here  may  soon  stretch  on  westward  and  south- 
ward, to  link  with  Calcutta  in  four  days,  and  Paris  in 
seven.  Edicts  have  gone  forth  that  make  no  future 
edict  impossible.  Small  feet  are  going,  small  waists 
are  coming,  and  the  razor  that  shaves  the  head  gives 
places  to  the  scissors  that  cut  off  the  cue.  And  in 
one  way  she  grows,  a  way  that  may  set  Europeans 
thinking  with  seriousness.  At  every  capital  we  have 
seen  barracks;  though  the  pale-face  is  not  welcome 
within,  he  cannot  but  notice  the  new  soldiery  that 
is  rising,  loyal  to  Peking,  burning  with  patriotism. 
What  of  leased  lands  and  concessions  soon?  What  of 
armed  legations  and  forced  sales?  What  of  banks  and 
railways  forced  on  an  unwilling  people?  China  is  con- 
solidating and  hardening.  Soon  it  will  be  dangerous 
to  fall  on  her;  in  no  long  time  she  may  stir,  and  woe 
betide  those  who  stand  in  her  way! 

But  now  she  is  plastic.  The  storm  has  ceased,  the 
sun  shines,  and  the  bow  stands  in  the  sky.  Not  barracks 
alone  but  schools  arise  on  every  hand.     Loud  is  her 


TO  ▲  rOLL  MAN  EVEN  HUNET  IS  MOT  SWIST 

cry  for  helpers  and  teachers.  A  generation  more,  and 
she  will  cry  aloud  no  more,  for  the  New  China  will 
suffice  itself.  But  just  now!  Men  of  commerce  see 
their  opportunity,  and  push  in  ere  it  is  too  late.  What 
of  men  of  learning — learning  both  secular  and  sacred? 
Now  can  China  be  guided  aright,  now  can  new  ideals  be 
formed;  now  she  trembles  as  the  runnel  on  the  high- 
lands of  Tibet  wavers  between  the  slope  that  leads  to 
the  Yangtze  and  the  slope  that  leads  to  Burma.  The 
bow  gleams  yet  in  the  shining  after  rain,  but  it  shines 
not  forever.  Now  is  the  time  of  promise,  of  hopeful- 
ness, of  expectancy.  Let  not  her  hopes  be  disappointed; 
let  them  not  be  fed  with  that  which  diverts  her  to  a  too 
congenial  materialism.  Shaljf  not  China  learn  that  the 
promise  of  the  bow  is  fulfilled  in  Him  who  sits  upon 
the  throne  of  heaven,  to  whom,  with  the  Lamb  of  God, 
be  the  blessing  and  the  honour  and  the  glory  and  the 
dominion,  for  ever  and  ever? 


4 


INDEX 


Aborigines,  of  Fukien,  69 
After-Han  dynasty,  60 
Alopun,  priest,  335 
American  Missionaries,  54,  396 
Anarchists  at  Hankow,  253 
Anking  on  the  Yangtze,  203 
Anthology,  Poetical,  65 

Baptisms,  Chinese,  232 

Baptists,  English,  336;  Southern, 
311;  mission,  83;  museum,  394 

"  Beautiful  Hatchery,  The,"  Amer- 
ican Mission,  50 

Bell,  largest  in  the  world,  199 

Boat  population,  104 

Boho,  famous  Chinese  remedy,  174 

"Book  of  Rites,"  9,  55 

Bore,  The,  1,  2 

Boxer  rising,  225 

Brethren,  Christian,  Missions,  230, 
239 

"Bridge  of  a  Myriad  Ages,"  53; 
"  of  the  Golden  Hook,"  169 

Buddha,  8,  61,  295,  355,  395 

Buddhist  Nun,  209;  monks  28,  62, 
320 

Buddhists,  popular  distrust  of,  29; 
arrival  of,  97;  architectural 
changes  caused  by,  162;  influenced 
by  Taoism,  245;  little  vitality,  308; 
important  centre,  335 

Canton,    "city   of   the    goat,"   com- 
mercial start,  4;  largest  city,  78; 
Old  City,  78;  New  City,  80 
Cats,  staple  of  many  dishes,  93 
Cassia  River,  "The  beautiful,"  103, 

108,  110 
Cave  of  the  Seven  Stars,  122 
Cement  works,  83 
"Chang  the  Octogenarian,"  381 
Changan,  339,  341,  348 
Chang  Ch'ien,  mighty  hero,  315 
Chang  Chin-ling,  prodigy,  92 
Ch'angchow,  defence  of,  198 
Chang    Chih    Tung,    reformer,    256, 
257,    258;    currency   scheme,   259; 
iron  works,  261;  education,  264 
Chang     Sung-so,     "clever     as     the 
gods,"  348-349 


Changsha,  highland  province,  266; 
affected  by  T'ai-p'ing  uprising, 
269;  annals,  270-273;  library,  283 

Chang  Tao-ling,  famous  Taoist,  237 

Chao  T'o,  113 

Chen  F6ng,  Windmoved,  "King  of 
Pagodas,"  215 

Chen,  Mr.,  best  scholar  of  the  em- 
pire, 60 

Chengtu,  ancient  glory  of,  285,  288, 
292,  297,  299,  et  seq. 

Chen  Tsung,  emperor,  233 

Chessboard  Tree,  a,  very  ancient, 
322 

Chia  Ching,  reign  of,  381 

Chin  dynasty,  270 

Ch'in,  great  emperor,  8,  160,  192, 
338;  the  second,  113 

China,  the,  of  Confucius,  55;  of  the 
Yellow  River  basin,  60;  coming 
military  nation,  206  \ 

China  Inland  Mission,  140,  141,  213, 
239,  240,  306,  311,  336,  362 

Chinese  Buddhists,  30,  355;  Chris- 
tians, 5,  6;  civilization,  56;  began, 
315;  monks,  30;  Mecca,  a,  324 

Chow  Chang,  356 

Christian  Missions,  and  the  New 
China,  100,  157,  336 

Christianity,  Chinese,  at  height  of 
its  glory,  7 ;  early  introduction,  333 

Chou  dynasty,  records  of,  85,  337 

Chu,  great  Confucian  commentator, 
275 

Chu-ko  Liang,  "very  bright  one," 
285 

Chumatien,  350 

Cinnamon  Forest,  112 

City  of  Five  Goats,  The,  85 

College  of  Nan  Hsiung  Chou,  im- 
moral monastery,  389 

Commissioner  on  foreign  nations, 
first,  316 

Compass,  ancient  Chinese  discovery, 
212 

Confucianism,  29;  decadent  stat^ 
175,  246 

Confucius,  15,  18,  19,  20,  21,  158, 
174,  242,  272,  277,  315,  316,  373, 
396,  397 


425 


426 


INDEX 


Congregationalists,  77 

Constantine      and      the      Christian 

bishops,  2 
Continents,  The  Nine,  55 
Convent  of  The  Heaven  of  Brahma, 

5;  founded  bv  Buddhist  monk,  2 
Cormorant  fishing  boats,  167 

Day  of  Release-life,  31 

Desert,  Gobi,  the,  312;  Shamo,  the, 

314 
Devils,  King  of  the,  107 
Diviner,  the  highly  esteemed,  95 
Drug    Hall    of   Propitious    Munifl- 

cence,  40 
Du  Bose,  Dr.   Hampden,   Southern 

Presbyterian  Missionary,  162 
Dundee  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  great  work  of, 

146 

Er    Ming,    murderer    of    forty-flve 
missionaries,  375;  rewarded,  mur- 
dered, 376 
Eunuchs,  rebellion  of,  342 
Executions,  etiquette  of,  204 

Fan  Chih-t'ien,  366 
Fan  Tzu  Ying,  382 
Fang    Shgng    YUan,    "Life    Saving 

Institution    (for  corpses),"   171 
Farmer  class,  the,  next  to  scholars, 

109 
Feast  of  Lanterns,  220 
Fifth    Moon    Feast,    great   national 

festival,  276 
Five  Wonderful  Male  Fairies,  The, 

85 
«  Flowery  Sea  of  Sin,  The,"  181 
Foochow,  named,  61;  opened  to  for- 
eign commerce,  49;  later  history, 

63;  the  "Threes,"  77 
Food,  most  permanent  need,  93 
Forbidden  City,  281,  415 
Foreign  capital  and  traders,  102 
Foreign  concession,  82,  170 
Foreign  Doctor  of  the  Nine  Fairies 

Hill,  73 
"Forest  of  Stones,"  330 
Forest  of  Tablets,  333 
Formosan  Channel,  50 
Fu  Ch'ai,  exemplar  of  suicides,  161 
Fukien,  49 
Fungking,  distinguished  scholar,  ^27 

Genghis  Khan,  410 

Ghosts,  Chinese  belief  in,  202 

Giles,  Lionel,  "The   Art  of  War," 

160 
Golden  Men,  Chin  Tartars,  12 


Gunpowder,  invention  of,  effect  of, 

13 
Grand  Canal,  terminus  of,  34 
Great  Pagod«^  the,  highest  in  China, 

162;  pride  of  Anking,  215 
Great  Plain,  the,  372 
Great   Serpent    Hill,   250 

Haden,  R.  A.,  M.A.,  178 

Hai,  King  of  Chou,  86 

Hall  of  Fame,  46 

Han  dynasty,  60,  113,  194,  196,  322, 
339 

Han  Empire,  285,  368,  370 

Han  Wenti,  the,  114 

Hang,  the  City,  its  waterways,  23 

Hangchow,  channels  and  annals,  1; 
great  massacre  of  foreigners  at, 
4;  new  imperial  capital,  5;  palmy 
days,  5;  vast  wealth,  luxury,  and 
vice,  6;  legends,  11;  population,  37 

Hanging  Bridge,  the,  382 

Hanlin,  the  brilliant,  120 

Hayes,  Dr.,  388 

Hienyang,  capital,  338 

Highlands,  the  Tibet,  322 

Heavenly  bodies,  portents,  97 

H^ng  Shan,  sacred  mountain,  268 

Henne,  W.,  343 

Ho,  the  great,  365 

Ho  Lu,  King  of  Wu,  158 

Holy  Maiden,  the,  89-90 

Home  life,  173 

Honan,  immense  province,  352,  et 
seq. 

Hospital,  Mission,  first  in  the  world, 
102;  Blake,  174;  Northern  Pres- 
byterian, 177;  China  Inland  Mis- 
sion, 364 

Hubbard,  Dr.,  poet,  52 

Hul  Pao,  heroine,  383 

Hunan,  266;  coke  for  America,  966; 
fresh  eggs  for  London,  266 

Hung  Wu,  Ming  warrior,  410 

Hung  Chgng  Chen,  273 

Huns,  in  China,  340 

Hwang-ho,  "China's   sorrow,"  294 

le  Er  Kih  Ti,  General,  beheaded, 

116 
Immigration,    foreign,   changes   due 

to,  201 
"  India  Ink,"  manufacture  of,  211 
Inns,  of  the  Chinese  type,  332 

Jesuits,  ejected,  14 
Jews,  356 
Jinghiz  Khan,  3^t2 
Judd,  Missionary,  236 


INDEX 


427 


Kaifeng,  a  has-been,  350,  353,  354, 
363,  et  teq. 

K'ang  Hsi,  emperor,  13,  117,  194, 
195,  196,  234,  273,  344 

Kanpu,  3 

Kansu,  305,  312,  314,  324,  342 

Kao  Hsing,  Ming  emperor,  56, 57, 58 

Kao  Li-shih,  famous  and  powerful, 
290 

Kao  Shih,  poet,  358 

Kao  Tsung,  Sung  emperor,  his  jew- 
elled fan,  10 

Kaotsu,  "high  ancestor,"  341 

Keller,  Dr.  Frank,  282 

Kiangsu,  "Crown  of  the  South- 
east," prosperous  and  beautiful, 
180 

Kindai  Pass,  50 

Kingtehchen,  seat  of  porcelain 
manufacture,  233-234 

Kin  Tartars,  365,  366,  410 

Kinnear,  Surgeon,  American  Hos- 
pital, 72,  73 

Koko  Nor,  the,  314 

Kublai  Khan,  62,  342,  410 

K'ung-ming,  286 

"  K'un  Ming  Hsien  Annals  of,"  151 

Kung  Yik  Fow,  great  commercial 
centre,  100 

Kwangsi,  made  famous  by  the  T'ai- 
p'ings,  103 

Kwangtung,  origin  of,  86 

Kwei,  ascent  of,  104 

Kweichow,  "Land  of  Devils,"  126 

Kweilin,  capital  of  Kwangsi,  103 

Kweiyang,  its  beginning,  139;  men 
and  women  Incoming  modern- 
ized, 142 

Lakes,  chain  of,  111 
Lanchow,  Chinese  centre  of  gravity, 
312;    eight    great    sceneries:     the 
Floating  Bridge,  the  Golden  Hills, 
the  Golden  Hill  Pagoda,  the  Lily 
Pool,  the  Wo  Bridge,  Five  Spring 
Hill,  Rear  Five  Springs,  Twelve- 
storied   Pagoda,  316-321;  its   fu- 
ture, 327 
Land  of  the  Lotus  Leaf,  326 
Lao,  the,  aboriginal  people,  144 
Lao   Chiin,   contemporary   of   Con- 
fucius, 18 
Lao  Tzu,  Taoist  sage,  most  noted, 

307-308 
Leaning  Pagoda,  the,  177 
Lee,  E.  J.,  noted  missionary,  903 
Li  of  the  Golden  Hooks,  170 
"  Li  800,"  very  aged,  807 
Life  Saving  Service,  American,  73 


Li  Hang  Qiang,  planned  trunk 
railway,  258 

Lion  Mountain,  the  wonderful,  177 

Li  Ping,  great  irrigator,  292;  wor- 
ship of,  296,  297 

Li  She,  poet,  120 

Li  T'ai  Po,  greatest  of  celestial 
poets,  288 

Lin  Yin  Monastery,  17,  28 

Literary  Men,  highly  honored,  155 

Liu  Pei,  285 

Lonely  foreign  grave,  a,  124 

Lower  Girl  Rapid,  navigating  the, 
107 

Lower  Honam  Pagoda,  84 

Lu  Hun  Kai,  113 

Lungt'ing,  marvellous  Drag(m  Pa- 
vilion, 359 

Ma  Yiian,  famous  warrior,  115 
Macartney,  Lord,  traveller,  14 
Manchus,  13,  56,  117,  153,  196,  273, 

299,  327,  379 
Medical  College,  for  Women,  81 
Mencius,  sage,  22,  347 
Methodists,  the,  239,  282,  306,  310, 

361 
Miao,    semi-barbarians,    126;   origin, 

127;  strange  customs,  127,  et  seq.; 

rebellion    of,    133;    excursion    to, 

143;  remarkable  dances,  144 
Military  system,  the  Chinese,  254 
Ming  dynasty,  ends  reign,  53,  223; 

expelled   Mongols,    116,   121,   139, 

270,  273 
Ming  Huang,  emperor,  289 
Mingan  Pass,  50 
Mings,  the.  Tomb  of,  196,  199,  385, 

377,  410 
Mohammedans,   loyalty  of,   44;    ar- 
rival of,  98;  in  rebellion,  343 
Monastery    of    Wonderful    Doings, 

the,  8 
Monasteries,   in   China,  46;   of  Lin 

Yin  and  Blue  Lotus,  46 
Mongol,  emperor,  63,  139;  conquest, 

195;  dynasty,  228,  336,  366 
Monuments  of  the  Past,  50 
Morrison,    Robert,    first   Protestant 

Missionary,  101 
Moslems,    the,    a   potential    danger, 

305,  324;  in  rebellion,  325,  830 
Moule,  Bishop,  7 
Multiple  Peace  Bridge,  the,  48 
Mun  Shen,  or  Door  Gods,  the,  140 

Nanchang,  on  the  Kankiang,  229 
**  Nation^     Biography,     Dictionary 
of,"  89 


428 


INDEX 


Nanking,     Southern    capital,     181; 

founded  by  the  Great  Ch'in,  192; 

sentimental  capital,  196;  the  new, 

199 
New  Army,  the,  328 
New  China,  99,  100 
Nieh,  W.  T.,  263 

Nine  Crimes  and  One  More,  the,  70 
Nine-story    Pagoda,    the,    majestic 

structure,  176 
Novel,  a  Chinese,  178 

"  Ode  to  the  Min,"  52 
Old  China,  passing  of,  93 
"  Old  Man  of  Yi  Chow,"  308 
One-Cup  Hsiao,  prodigy,  277 
Opium  Wars,  101 

Pagoda,  the  Black,  61;  the  White, 
62 

Pagodas,  origin  of,  240 

Paifangs,  Chinese,  134,  et  seq. 

Panhandle,  the,  314 

Parents,  devotion  to,  91 

Parsee,  the,  2 

Parliament  of  the  People,  34 

Past,  the,  dies  fast,  148 

Peace  Society,  the  Great,  03,  208 

Peet,  L.  P.,  M.A„  of  Yale,  56 

Peking,  "  Northern  Capital,"  cap- 
tured in  1643,  117,  191,  306;  "cap- 
ital of  capitals,"  404,  et  seq.; 
Annals,  408 

P&ng,  Doctor,  Director  of  Educa- 
tion, 89-90 

P'gng  O,  Trickster,  279 

Pengshwei,  the,  106 

Persian  Empire,  the,  334 

Phenomena,  strange,  400 

Phrenologist,   a   Celestial,   38 

Pigmies,  in  the  Forest  of  Eternal 
Twilight,  32 

Pigs,  special  pets  for  women,  223 

Pinglo  to  Wuchow,  109 

Po  Chii-i,  great  poet,  290 

Political  missionaries,  241 

Porcelain  for  the  Imperial  Court, 
235 

Post,  Imperial,  the,  99,  100,  329 

Presbyterian  Missions,  83,  393 

Professions,   the,   71 

Protestant  'Ejyiscopalian  Missions, 
214,  261 

Railway,  to  British  settlement  Kow- 
loon,  82;  the  new  San  Ning,  100; 
French  line  of,  147;  up  the  Yang- 
tze, 306;  Russo-Japanese  Manchu- 
rian,  380;   the  German,  390 


Red  Men,  the,  142 
Ricci,  Italian  Jesuit,  7 
Religion,  fall  and  rise  of,  306 
Righteous    Benevolent    Association, 

red-turbaned  robbers,  114 
Roman  Catholics,  the,  135;  immi- 
grants, 140;  massacred  in  Boxer 
days,  207;  great  religious  propa- 
ganda, 324 
Roving  Horse  Mountain,  beneficent, 
protected,  124 

School  of  Parliaments,  a,  141 

Secret  Societies,  386 

Shanghai,  49,  306 

Shantung,  389,  394 

Shao  Pei  Rapids,  109 

Shensi,  342 

Shoe-of-Silver  Rapids,  110 

Shui  Fdn-ming,  Admiral,  357 

Shuh,  Kingdom  of,  285 

Sian,  historic  capital,  329;  as  it  is, 

329;  as  it  was,  336;  annals  of,  343, 

et  seq. 
Silk  District,  the,  81 
Singing  Calf,  the,  temple  to,  380 
Soochow,  Yangtze  capital,  158,  160; 

the  University,  169;  opium  dens, 

187 
South  Sea  District,  divided,  45 
South  Seas,  History  of  the,  87 
Southern    Presbyterians,    plant    of, 

177 
Spirit-Money  Shop,  a,  45 
Standard  Oil  tanks,  83 
Stevenson,    Owen,    heroic    mission- 
ary, 157 
Starry  Tower  Pagoda,  50 
Stuart,  Dr.  and  Prof.,  35,  42 
Su  Tung-p'o,   governor,  famed   for 

poetry  and  picnics,  5 
Sui  dynasty,  the,  139 
Sun,  greatest  military  writer,  158 
Sung  Dynasty,  the,  5,  62,  366,  379 
Sung  Shih,  greatly  honored,  385 
Sung  Wfin,  reincarnated,  367 

T'ai  Ch'ing,  emperor,  240 

T'ai-p'ings,  Chinese  patriots,  14,  15, 
28,  29,  43,  46,  47,  101,  103,  117, 
164,  176,  198,  199,  361,  393,  414 

Tai  Shan,  sacred  mountain,  391 

T'ai  Tsu,  first  Sung  emperor,  360 

Taiyuanfu,  Land  of  the  Wolves, 
370;  ignorance  and  superstition, 
375 

Talisman,  a  precious,  239 

Tao  Chi  San,  "Mountain  of  Ac- 
commodating  Preciousness,"   118 


INDEX 


429 


Tang  Dynasty,  the,  61,  62,  92,  139, 

341 
T'ang  Pahhu,  famed  artist,  164 
T'ang   Lang    Pavilion,    Gardens    of 

the,   166 
T'angs,  Empire  of  the,  288  . 

Taoist  religion,  the,  236;   the  head/ 

or  pope,  236,  237,  243,  320,  392     ' 
Tartar  City,  the,  330 
Tartars,   Manchu,   13;   girls,  efforts 

to  elevate,  25 
Telegraph,  the  Imperial,  329 
Telegraph  poles,  attract  evil  spirits, 

18 
Temples,    Taoist,    18,    98;    founded 

during    Sui    dynasty,    115;     Wan 

Shou    Wan,    115;    Buddhist,    170; 

Confucian,    174;    destroyed,    176; 

at  Changchow,  198,  199 
"  Thirty-six    Mothers-in-Law,    Story 

of  the,"  70 
Tien  Shu-ch€ng,  Chinese  scholar,  7 
Tigranes  of  Armenia,  339 
Tower  of  Silence,  2 
Transmutation    of    metals,    Taoist 

claim,  238 
Tsang  Yang,  poet,  399 
Tsin,  L.  T.,  263 
Tsinan,    immortalized    by    life    and 

labors  of  Confucius,  386,  394,  396, 

398 
Ts'ao,  from  Wusih,  wise  doctor,  165 
Tuan  Fang,  33 
Tungkwan,  fortress,  329 

Universities,  first  of  the  great  four, 
101 

University,  the  Boone,  262;  Chris- 
tian, 265;  a  Shansi,  376;  Shan- 
timg  Christian,  386 

UsefiJ  Knowledge,  Society  for  the 
Diffusion  of,  101 

Wall,  the  Great,  5,  111,  318,  321,  322, 

328,  339,  366,  420 
Wang,  Prince,  45 

War  of  the  Roses,  the  Chinese,  368 
Wash  Ear  Stream,  the,  8 
Washing  in  Oriental  Fashion,  111 
Watson,  Dr.,  388 


Wei,  King  of,  288 

Wfin  Chung,  royal  duke,  227 

W6n  Ti,  "literary  sovereign,"  340 

Wesleyans,  the,  261 

Western  Christianity,  medical  work, 
77;  education,  80,  261;  ideas, 
influx  of,  64;  influence,  missions, 
31;  machinery,  81 

William  the  Norman,  335,  379 

White  Water-Lilies,  Band  of  th^ 
119 

Wo  Bridge  of  Lanchow,  319 

Women's  Rights,  Chinese  belief  in, 
90 

Wonders,  the  Eight,  280;  White 
Crane  Spring,  the,  280;  Sixth  Dy- 
nasty Pine  Tree,  the  280;  Re- 
sounding Mountain,  the,  280;  Fly- 
ing Bell,  the,  280;  Flying  Stone, 
the,  280;  Yu  Tablet  on  Nan  Yo 
Nan,  the,  280;  Fierce  Snake  Hole, 
the,  280;  Tablet  of  Li,  the,  280- 
281 

Worship,  public  and  private,  98 

Wu  Nei,  prince,  272 

Wu  Sin  Yin,  42 

Wu  Tsii-hsii,  prime  minister,  158 

Wu-Han,  "  three)  cities,"  250;  Chris- 
tian University,  265 

Wuchang,  three  cities,  three  hills, 
248;  "city  of  military  splendor," 
951 

Wuchow,  commercial  capital,  104 

Yale  Mission,  the,  283 

Yang  Chien,  340-341 

Yang  Kueifi,  only  fat  beauty,  290 

Yang  Su,  2 

Yangtze,    enriches    all    he    touches, 

315;  Basin  of  the,  12,  352 
Yao,  model  emperor,  315 
Yo  Lu  Shan,  the  Holy  Hill,  274, 275 
Yiian,  patriot,  151 
Yiin  Ying,  courtier,  151 
Yung  Cheng,  emperor,  14 
Yunnan,  Switzerland  of  China,  147 
Yunnan  Sheng,  progressive  capital, 

148;  importance  of,  150 

Zadklel,  the  Chinese,  95 


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